• The Shoes at WAR •

by Jonathan Carroll

about

Shoes at War is about a perfect love-- and the dire consequences. I began with this idea: what if boy meets girl and it's perfect-- a match made in heaven. But it's so perfect that it starts to ruin things-- everywhere they go and everyone they touch. A sort of Midas Touch in reverse. There cannot be that kind of perfection without trouble, especially not in this life. When the couple realize that their shared alchemy is destroying everything around them, should they be selfish and stay together, or altruistic and go their separate ways, haunted by the thought of what could have been?

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script

FADE IN:

INT. BRIAN & SULLIVAN'S APARTMENT

Looking at an apartment through a giant fish aquarium. It's a delightfully eccentric place, full of color and personality: On a wooden sideboard is a collection of various sized old cameras arranged like sculpture. On the walls are masks, puppets, wood carvings ... Looks very much like a curio shop. The furniture is tasteful and eclectic--Mission style mixed with Memphis. Pressed to the aquarium glass on the other side of the tank are two people's faces. Now and then an enormous fish (BIG MIKE) floats by, periodically blocking our view of

BRIAN CHUTE ('SHOES')--a thirty'ish man, happy with his life, his surroundings, but most especially with his lover

SULLIVAN MITCHELL-also in her thirties, smart, perhaps a bit too sensitive and serious to Brian's sunny, but clearly happy sharing a life with him.

SULLIVAN
Call him Ishmael!

BRIAN
That's too cute. How about 'Fish Mail'! What'd they call him at the pet store?

SULLIVAN
Big Mike.

Brian taps on the glass, then straightens up.

BRIAN
Big Mike. I like it. Letts call him that. It's the most amazing birthday present I ever got.

Sullivan, her voice and expression all worry now.

SULLIVAN
Do you really like it, Shoes? Tell the truth. They said I could bring him back.

He takes her in his arms and snuggles her.

BRIAN
A three foot long South American catfish named Big Mike? Sullivan, how could I NOT like it? It's a gift of genius.

She undoes herself from his hug and walks back to the kitchen table where they've been preparing his birthday dinner. She starts to work again.

SULLIVAN
I've diced the garlic. What's next?

He goes over and forces her to look at him.

BRIAN
I'm telling the truth. It's a wonderful present You always give me wonderful presents. I don't know how you think the things up, much less find them.

SULLIVAN
He was easy. I walked into that store, saw him, and knew there was one person who'd appreciate him completely. You. You're the only thing I know for sure these days, Brian. The rest is like my tricks--here and then gone.

She holds out a clove of garlic, flicks her hand and it's gone in an instant.

SULLIVAN
Know what else I bought today? You're going to laugh. A shotput. I'm going to teach myself how to throw the shotput. It's so pure and simple: Pick the thing up and throw it from here to there. Nothing else. That's what I love about it-clear and to the point. Like you.

BRIAN
A shotput? On my birthday you call me a seven pound steel ball?

SULLIVAN
I'm calling you clear, direct, and to the point. Unlike just about everything else in life. That's why I love you: you like something, you show it. You want something, you go after it. Everything else is so confusing. I haven't been able to figure my life out for months. Now here it's your birthday and I'm spewing out my problems. I'm sorry. He looks at her, very concerned.

BRIAN (adamant)
I want you to tell me when something's wrong! Is there anything I can do to help?

SULLIVAN (wistful)
No, sweetie. I'm just kind of lost in my life these days. It'll pass. I have to figure things out myself. It'll be all right.

He picks her up. She wraps her legs around him like a child.

BRIAN
I'd go to war for you! I'd hang glide, and you know how scared I am of heights. I'd stick my finger in an electric socket, or become a vegetarian, or ... have a sex change operation. We could be sisters!

She laughs and hugs him tight.

SULLIVAN
Can we go to bed right now? I bought this obscene nightgown I was going to surprise you with tonight, but can we go now and I'll show you it later? I want to hold you.

He carries her over to the stove where awkwardly reaching behind her, he turns off burners. Still holding on, he moves them together through the apartment towards their bedroom.

CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM. AN HOUR LATER

Brian and Sullivan lying together in the bathtub, her in front of him, his arms wrapped around her. Totally relaxed and comfortable (and wet) together.

BRIAN
I think this trip to South Africa will be great for you. They'll finally see how brilliant you you are and make you vice president; which should have happened long ago. You'll get out of here a while, see a whole new world, new people ... How long are you going to be there?

SULLIVAN
About a month. Depends on how fast we get things done. Everybody owns a camera. My job is convincing the whole country they should buy our new one. I'm not thrilled about it. I'd rather stay here with you.

BRIAN
No! You said once in your life you wanted to hear real lions roar. Here's your big chance. How many people get to go to South Africa? I think you should stay a while longer and go on a safari. Or take a weekend off and go out into the bush or the veldt, or whatever they call it.

SULLIVAN (pulling his arms around her)
You're right. I'll bring you back a baby rhino. We can put it in the aquarium with Big Mike. Have we ever made love in the bathtub before?

Brian gets the point fast and sits up.

BRIAN
No, but the birthday boy is game.

SULLIVAN
Should we ask Big Mike to join us?

BRIAN
That's genuinely perverse! Perverse but interesting. What's that famous line-- 'I don't drink water because fish screw in it?'

SULLIVAN
You're the best man I know. If anything happens to me on this trip, like the plane crashed or something? I want you to know that living with you has been absolutely wonderful.

BRIAN
But you still won't marry me?

SULLIVAN (big pause. Her face becomes very upset and animated. She begins to hum very loudly, which goes up and up like a hive of bees)
Mmmmmmmm

Her eyes roll to the ceiling, all frustration and confusion with herself. Then WHAM--she leans forward and dunks her head full into the tub. Holding it down, she begins to blow enormous bubbles.

DISSOLVE TO:INT. SHOPPING MALL. DAY

Brian and his best friend JOHN MCKINLEY are standing in front of chaos. The roof of a shopping center has collapsed and several cars from the parking area above have fallen through the enormous hole into the middle of the mall itself. One car is standing on its nose in a still-flowing fountain. Doctors, police, firemen are everywhere. Brian has a camera on his shoulder, filming John. Another man, GARY LUTENS the soundman, holds a microphone.

JOHN (seriously and professionally to the camera)
It is not yet known how many people died today at the Chester Mall. Investigators and structural engineers are already at work, trying to figure out just what happened to the roof of this structure. But whatever they find, it will be of little comfort to the families of the victims. This is John McKinley, for KBUN, FLASH NEWS.

Brian moves to the side so he can film a child and his mother standing nearby, looking grimly along with other passersby at the car inside the fountain. Hold a beat, then he says

BRIAN
Cut! That's good.

He starts to move all around the scene, filming. John looks on, annoyed and amused.

JOHN
Brian, we've got ten other places to go today. Do you think we could get out of here before the next solar eclipse?

BRIAN (sheepishly)
Come on, man. You know I've got to get my coverage. I want it to come across right. Not just show another bunch of dead people.

CUT TO: INT. BAKERY. DAY

Same film crew, only this time John is interviewing MR. HASENHUTTL, the hundred year old baker.

JOHN (sweetly)
Mr. Hasenhoodl

HASENHUTTL (loud and grumpy)
Hasenhuttl. It's Austrian. I'm a hundred years old and Austrian. Don't get the name wrong.

JOHN
Mr. Hasenhuttl, you're the oldest baker in the state of California and probably the entire United States. How do you feel today?

HASENHUTTL(squinting)

I'm a hundred. Not many hundred year old men can still bake bread!

JOHN
And do you have any secrets of longevity?

HASENHUTTL
Always fuck standing up-

BRIAN

CUT!

Lowers his camera as all three men in the crew crack up. Hasenhuttl frowns.

CUT TO:
EXT. DAY. BACKYARD

In a backyard behind a lower middle class house, the crew stand, peering down into a two foot-wide crack in the earth. Nearby are a bunch of FIREMEN, houseowner MRS. SCHIAVO and young son

CHARLIE.

From way down deep in the crevasse, we hear the pathetic yip and bark of a dog that's fallen in and is stuck there. The little boy is terribly upset and holds tight to his mother.

MRS. SCHIAVO
My husband wanted to fill it up after the earthquake, but it cost four hundred dollars. Who's got four hundred dollars to fill a hole?

CHARLIE
Ma, when're they going to get Pearl out of there? Is she going to die?

FIREMAN(to John and Brian)
We can't go in there. It's too damned deep. Fucking earthquakes. A year after they happen, they're still killing things.

JOHN(quietly,to Brian)
How do you want to do this?

BRIAN
Start with what he said-- a year later and it's still killing things. Then ask the boy about the dog. Ask him why it's his friend.

John looks at Brian a moment, takes a deep breath, then starts towards the boy and his mother.

CUT TO:
INT:SULLIVAN'S OFFICE. DAY

Inside her cluttered office, Sullivan and NORMAN DODGE are looking at a series of posters on a sideboard. They go from one to the other, sizing them up and making notes.

SULLIVAN
I still think we should go with the memory thing. A camera's the only tool we have to catch and hold memories. Show a bunch of kids at the beach taking pictures of each other, you could be selling anything. What we want in this campaign is for someone to look at our ads and think 'That's the best and easiest machine to fix MY memories forever.' Anywhere in the world people are going to understand and appreciate that. Say it right and they'll believe we make the best way to give them some immortality.

NORMAN
That makes sense, but kids on the beach are more I don't know sexy and immediate. Do we want to take a chance and go in a completely different direction? It's dangerous, Sullivan.

SULLIVAN
That's the whole point, Norman! Only part of life is sexy and immediate. The rest is remembering when it used to be that way. A camera helps us remember. What would you rather have when you're eighty, a leaky memory that can't be trusted, or pictures that show you exactly what it was like?

Norman shrugs and nods his head. He's convinced.

NORMAN You're right, as usual.

CUT TO:
INT:STORE. DAY

Sullivan and her girlfriend RENEE are browsing in a beautiful women's store.

RENEE
How does Brian feel about your going?

SULLIVAN
He thinks it'll be good for me. Brian always supports anything I think is right. He's so amazing in that way.

RENEE
And how do you feel?

SULLIVAN
I'm scared to death, but Brian keeps telling me it's the right thing to do, so I guess it is. It's only for a month. Isn't it funny how he's so encouraging about it while I'm the one who's scared?

RENEE
Yeah! I always hate to take people to the airport. It's okay when you're going, but when they are and you have to go back to your house and your life and stuff without them. That's a drag. Brian really is something else, isn't he?

SULLIVAN
We wake up talking and go to bed talking.

Renee looks at her and smiles. Lost in her thoughts of her man, Sullivan doesn't look at Renee for a moment and when she does, she's almost embarrassed.

CUT TO:
INT.L.A. AIRPORT. NIGHT.

Sullivan and Brian stand at an airport baggage check-in.

BRIAN
I've never been able to figure out why you're always late when you fly. It gives me such ulcers.

SULLIVAN
Because I fly so much, I'm not going to get on a damned plane one second earlier than I have to. They steal enough of my life as it is. I hate anything airborne. And I hate leaving you, Shoes. Check-in completed, they walk to the departure gate.

BRIAN
Honey, you're taking the night flight to Africa. Half the world would love to be you. Go and see, and smell ... Then come back renewed. I'll be here. You know that. Do you have the lucky stone I gave you?

She pulls something out of her pocket and shows him.

SULLIVAN
I always carry it.

Holding each other, they walk till they reach her gate. The passengers waiting there are amazing-- all sorts of wildly exotic and fascinating-looking people waiting to board: Blacks in vividly colored dashikis talking loudly, sexy couples, mysterious characters. Sullivan stares at them, thoroughly intrigued. She realizes she's about to enter a whole new world.

SULLIVAN
This isn't your everyday crowd. I'm used to the afternoon flight to Cleveland.

BRIAN
What am I going to do without you? You've never been gone so long.

She's touched, but it's clear from the look in her eye that the scene at the gate has turned her interest from Brian to what's coming.

SULLIVAN
I read somewhere you can live for a month without food, but not water. You're my food. We'll live on water for a month and when I get back we'll gorge ourselves. I'm going now, Shoes. You know how much I hate to say goodbye.

They embrace. He speaks into her hair.

BRIAN
I'll have to teach the fish to call me Shoes. Have you got your passport, ticket, money? She nods and moves to break the embrace.

BRIAN
One more second. Let me breathe you a couple more seconds.

CUT TO:
INT:BRIAN & SULLIVAN'S APARTMENT

Brian walks in the door and switches on the light. He stands in the middle of the room looking around. Goes to a sideboard and picks up one of the many cameras sitting there. Hefts it, puts it to his eye, then puts it down. Finally he sees Big Mike in his aquarium and lights up. Goes over to it. Takes some fish food and sprinkles it across the top of the water.

BRIAN
Hi Mike! It's kind of quiet around here without her, huh? But it'll only be a month. Then she's back and

He sighs, looks dreamily into the fish tank. Close on a CLOSE-UP of the fish moving in its slow way.

CUT TO:
INT.CUTTING ROOM

John and Brian are standing over a tape editing bay, reviewing footage. A bank of tv monitors is in front of them. John points to something on the screen.

JOHN
Now, cut it there. I want to see the smoke from the fire swirling up past those big houses. That's it, perfect. What's the matter with you, Brian, have you moved to the land of monosyllables?

BRIAN (finishing with the film and turning to John)
You know what's wrong.

JOHN
Come on! Just because Sullivan hasn't written, you think she's run off with a tribal chieftain? You're the happiest couple I know. Period. She's having a good time there. That's all.

BRIAN (plaintively)
But when she first got there she was in touch all the time, John. It's gotten less and less. It's not like her.

JOHN (starts doing Tai Chi exercises)
So what? Listen, I know a photographer who gets off by heating up forks and pressing them onto the backs of his hands. That's exactly what you're doing now and it's ridiculous. She's not been in touch because she's busy. YOU told her to go down there and recharge her batteries.

BRIAN(disgusted with himself)
I know. You're right.

JOHN
I'll tell you one more thing: that photographer? He doesn't work much now because his hands are always too swollen. Don't be like him.

BRIAN (worriedly)
But something's wrong in her life. She feels empty and worthless. People do weird things when they're confused like that.

JOHN (points to the monitors)
Look at our job. Look up at those pictures- kids shot when they're out trick or treating, cars falling through roofs, people setting fires ... A hundred times a day we're reminded life is as confusing as algebra backwards. But mostly it makes sense, Brian. Even with all the crap going on, look at all the Hasenhuttl's around- a hundred years old and still baking bread. Sullivan wouldn't get involved with anyone else. I introduced you two and have known her half my life. Anyway, when I play matchmaker, it lasts forever. I'm infallible. She may be confused, but she's notcrazy. Hey anyway, someone once said ambiguity is the most erotic thing of all. Worrying about her like this'll keep you on your toes!

Brian gives him a deadly look and makes a face.

JOHN (hands up, backing off)
Okay, sorry. I didn't mean it. Did I ever tell you what she said to me after your first date? Delighted to hear a story about Sullivan he doesn't know, Brian brightens up and shakes his head.

JOHN
She said 'John, this guy's the one. I could breathe him for the rest of my life.'

BRIAN

Her favorite line-- breathing you.

CUT TO:
EXT.STREET. NIGHT

our film crew watch as police march suspects out of a seedylooking ghetto house. There are police cars all around and many spectators. Red police lights spinning, things are very grim. Following the cops closely are two dirty, dazed looking children who must have been hostages or worse.

JOHN (to whoever's listening)
I hate this job. I go home at night and no one's there, so I sit alone thinking about this kind of stuff and talking to myself.

He turns to Brian. His face is torment.

JOHN
I envy you so much, having Sullivan.

CUT TO:
INT: SOUTH AFRICAN CONFERENCE ROOM. DAY

A long table full of well dressed men and women are looking up to the head where MARTIN SCHAEFER sits. Norman Dodge and Sullivan are sitting next to him, having just finished with their presentation. Schaefer has large photographs in each hand, looking carefully from one to the other.

MARTIN
What was your phrase, Sullivan?

She looks at Norman, takes a deep breath, then says

SULLIVAN
'We guarantee the memories.'

Schaefer begins to nod more and more vigorously.

MARTIN (facetiously)
But can you guarantee it'll sell cameras?

SULLIVAN (very sure of herself)
That's what we're here for.

MARTIN (warmly, looking at her)
And I think I'm glad you are.

Sullivan smiles, as do all those around her.

CUT TO:
INT: KITCHEN

BRIAN(v.o.)
Sullivan? Hi, honey! How are you? I got so worried I just had to call. It's been so long since I heard from you. Is everything all right?

Blackness. Then a door opens and a light is switched on. It's Brian, but he looks completely different: He looks like he is dying. All of the following dialogue is a voice-over of a conversation he's obviously just finished. While we listen, we watch him wander aimlessly then frantically from room to room of the apartment, picking up this, putting it down immediately. Looking at the many things (photographs, souvenirs..), the many memories of his woman and their relationship that are everywhere. Sullivan's voice throughout is dead and unresponsive. It's clear something bad is up and she doesn't want to reveal it until forced to.

SULLIVAN (v.o.)
Hi. No, I'm fine. I've just been busy. Sorry I haven't called.

BRIAN (v.o.)
Oh, it's all right. I just Look, is something wrong? Has something happened?

Long pause

SULLIVAN (v.o.)
Brian, I'm going to stay here for now. I like it and I have friends. I've decided I want to stay here now.

BRIAN (v.o., several long beats, then very hesitantly)
Oh! Well, for how long? I mean weeks, months?

SULLIVAN (v.o.)
I don't know. I found a life. I'm doing things I never did before. I'm going out and meeting new people. It's just better. I've quit my job.

Pause.

BRIAN (v.o., slowly)
But what about the life WE had?

Pause.

BRIAN (v.o.)
Is there someone? Someone you're not telling me about?

Long pause.

SULLIVAN (v.o.)

I've met someone I like talking to. But that's not it. He's completely different from you and I'm just going to stay here now, Brian.

BRIAN (v.o., desperate)
Can I come and talk to you? Can we talk about this?

SULLIVAN (v.o., her voice high and tight)
No. I don't want you to come. It wouldn't change anything. It would make it worse. Please don't! I can't see you. I love you, but I don't want to go back to that life. I'm going to stay here, Brian.

BRIAN (v.o.,softly)
It's all 'Brian' now. What happened to Shoes?

He moves faster around the apartment opening drawers, touching objects, trying to make contact with Sullivan in whatever is left of her here. He is desperate, crushed, lost. The voice-overs end. Complete silence. Several beats before a telephone rings. He looks at it while it jangles again and again. Then he calls out in the saddest voice in the world

BRIAN (pitifully)
Sullivan, telephone! Can you get it, Honey? Would you get the phone? Please?

CUT TO:
INT. JEEP. SUNSET

Sullivan is riding along in a Jeep across the African plains. The whole scene is hers-- we only see her or her POV out the windows. After a few moments the car stops and whoever is driving turns off the headlights. Sullivan, surprised, looks towards Martin Schaefer.

MARTIN (O.S.)
Look over there.

His hand points out the front windshield to the left. A group of gazelle is standing stock still. Then they scatter gracefully in an instant when a lion's roar fills the air. Sullivan's happy face becomes very excited, then suddenly blank, then very sad. We know who she's thinking about. Reaching into her pocket, she takes out a beautiful shiny stone and looks at it a long time. She rubs it hard between her two palms.

MARTIN (O.S.)
What's that?

SULLIVAN
A lucky stone Brian gave me. If I rub hard, maybe I'll get enough magic out so he can hear that lion too. She does a trick with her hand and the stone suddenly disappears. We see Martin for the first time.

MARTIN (pure admiration)
I never knew a woman who did magic.

SULLIVAN
It's not magic, it's sleight of hand. Tricking the eyes. I have no magic.

MARTIN (sighing)
Look, you like me, right? And you know how much I care for you. And Brian sounds like a terrific man. Why would two good guys like us feel so strongly about you if you're so worthless? We think it's magic, you say it's a trick. You're not a trick, Sullivan, you're wonderful!

SULLIVAN
So wonderful that I couldn't tell Brian I wasn't coming back? I didn't have the courage or the decency to tell the man. He didn't deserve that.

MARTIN
No he didn't, but perhaps right now you can't find the words for what you're doing.

SULLIVAN
I'm confused, Martin. Very, very confused.

DISSOLVE TO:
INT.BRIAN'S APARTMENT.

We're in Brian and Sullivan's apartment again, only it's a very different place now. Where before it was crowded, now it looks like a monk's room: white walls, no cameras or figures anywhere. It's almost completely, eerily empty. Except in the middle of the room is the giant fish tank with Big Mike in it. Brian's up on a ladder with a can of white paint finishing painting the room. His hair is longer and he's thinner. When he speaks it's obviously to Big Mike.

BRIAN
So, that's it! What do you think?

Climbs down from the ladder and wiping his hands, surveys the room.

BRIAN (falsely robust)
Simple, white, no tzatkles. Very poetic.

Looks towards fish. Rubs his mouth.

BRIAN
Very invisible.

He goes to the tank and puts his forehead against it. His voice drops to the sad truth.

BRIAN
Very sad, Mike. Very fucking sad. I'm never going to be able to paint over this. What color takes your love away?

CUT TO:
EXT.MARTINIS GARDEN. DAY.

Sullivan, barefoot and wearing a summery red dress, is bent over, hoeing and weeding in the middle of a pretty garden. She's sweaty and her face is flushed but she's obviously happy. A screen door slams somewhere. She straightens up and turns around, looking happy and expectant. Martin Schaefer appears in a suit and tie.

He carries a briefcase and a big bouquet of flowers. He stops a few feet away and the two look at each other with total love.

CUT TO:
EXT. BALCONY. DAY

Brian's sitting alone on a small balcony, drinking coffee and looking off into space. A television playing somewhere says

ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
The forest fires begun last night, whipped up by fierce Santa Ana winds, have spread at a horrifying pace. None are under control and the prognosis is not good. We have John McKinley with us to give us the latest update from chopper 2, in the air above the Iron Valley fire.

The voice diminishes. Brian continues to stare. Then all at once, it starts snowing. Snowing in LA! Huge flakes start to fall and are momentarily whipped and swirled by gusts of wind. We hear the sound of trees full of dead leaves rattling. It takes a moment for this to register on Brian. Finally even he is startled into looking up. From his POV, we see flakes coming down everywhere. He puts out a hand and some land on his open palm. He touches them and they disintegrate- they're ash from the fires.

BRIAN
Ashes? They travel that far from the fire? Ashes for breakfast. Perfect!

He looks into the sky and again from his POV, we watch this snow of ashes.

CUT TO:
EXT:MALIBU BEACH HOUSE. DAY

Brian and John stand outside the door of an expensive beach house. Both men are dressed up. Loud music and party sounds from within.

JOHN
Stop fidgeting and complaining! You're going to this party and you're going to like it! You haven't been out of the house in two months. I think you're failing in love with that goddamned fish. I am now taking over your life and you will do everything I tell you to do.

BRIAN
I haven't been out because I lost the woman I love and I'm NOT INTERESTED, John!

JOHN (scolding)
And I'm not listening. I listened for two months but now you're boring. It's time to do the phoenix bit and rise out of the ashes. Besides, there are people concerned about you and want to see you. Anyway, I'll find you someone new and marvelous. Just watch. As a matchmaker

BRIAN (giving him a big dirty look) -
You're infallible. I know. Remember the last time you said that to me, dufus?

The door opens. As one, the men see RICKY the hostess(black, in her thirties, very attractive) and greet her.

BRIAN
Hi Ricky!

JOHN
Hi Ricky!

RICKY
Hello Mutt and Jeff. It's about time you showed your face, Brian. There are at least twenty women here ready to leap on you.

JOHN (naughty)
And me?

RICKY (amused)
You be quiet. Come in. Wait till I tell you about this story I had to do yesterday

CUT TO:
INT. BEACH HOUSE. DAY

The party is large and zippy. Brian moves around, making chitchat and greeting people. They're all glad to see him. JUDY stops him.

JUDY
Oh Brian, I just got back in the country and haven't seen anyone. How ARE you? Where's Sullivan?

Smiling right through it, he says calmly.

BRIAN
She's in South Africa.

CUT TO:
INT. KITCHEN. DAY

Brian walks into the kitchen to see what's happening there. CARLA sees him and walks right over.

CARLA
Brian! My God, you really did come. How are you? Are you okay? What a time you've had!

BRIAN (amused)
I'm okay. I just have to remind myself to get up in the morning sometimes. I'm kidding. John told me I have to be a phoenix and rise out of the ashes.

CARLA (dismissively)
Oh well, John! He's the worst person to go to. He has absolutely no sympathy for anyone. He's like a marine drill sergeant; no one's allowed to be depressed around here. Hup. Hup. But speaking of phoenixes, what do you think about the fires? They just don't ever stop! Everyone I know's house has burned down! It's like the end of the world!

BRIAN
Ashes were falling on my porch yesterday like snow. It was verystrange.

The door opens and a man and woman enter. They're so obviously in love that they barely notice anything but each other. They touch and giggle and radiate desire. Brian and Carla watch-Carla's amused, Brian can't stand it.

BRIAN
Excuse me, Carla. I've got to go to the bathroom.

He goes towards one door.

CARLA (calling out)
But Brian, the bathroom's on the other

He's gone. She shrugs and picking up an hors d'oeuvre, goes back to watching the couple inhale each other.

CUT TO:
EXT.BEACH. DAY. Brian walks out of the house onto the deck overlooking the ocean. He goes to the railing. Few people are out there. A big friendly dog is lying nearby. Brian squats and rubs its belly. He stands quickly and walks down steps to the beach. The party beats on behind him. One person calls out to him, but he only waves at them and keeps walking. The dog is now his friend and follows him to the beach. Brian's glad for the company. He walks a ways, then stops and fists clenched, addresses the dog.

BRIAN (furious)
Her feet smell! She's got bad teeth! She's insecure and dumped me without even calling! Fuck her! Just get out of my head and let me breathe again, for Christ's sake!

The dog's thrilled for the attention. Rolls over on its back, wiggles paws in the air. Brian snorts and starts off again, but almost immediately stumbles. Catching his balance, he strides past swimmers, castle builders, beach people, frisbee throwers. A plane is flying overhead trailing an advertising banner behind it.

CUT TO:
EXT. SKY. DAY

Close in on plane as it slowly crosses the sky. Its banner reads SULLIVAN'S LOST!

CUT TO:
EXT. BEACH. DAY CLOSE UP of Brian's astonished expression. He shuts his eyes tightly. Opens them again and sees banner really reads SEA HORSE LOTS. He continues walking, dog behind. Down the way, an OLD MAN is surf casting with an enormous fishing rod, his back turned. Brian stops and watches. The dog is with him the whole way.

BRIAN (angry)
Everything reminds me of her! My whole brain is Sullivan. It's like those fires-- she jumps from here to here and everything is burning! What am I going to do?

Shakes his head. ANOTHER LOVING COUPLE in swim suits walk between him and the fisherman. Like the pair at the party, these two are completely enthralled with each other. Brian stares. As if sensing their happiness, the dog bounces over. The couple fawn on it. Without a moment's hesitation, Fido follows when they leave, abandoning Brian. All this registers on his face. For a moment he goes back to watching the fisherman. When he speaks again, it is with the seriousness and weight of a person who, whether they know it or not, has made a momentous decision.

BRIAN (with intense seriousness)
I would do anything to get her back. I would do anything in the world to get Sullivan back.

The fisherman put downs the rod and rummages in his tackle box. His back is still turned.

BRIAN
If that man turns around and waves, something good will happen. Something will change.

The fisherman rummages.

BRIAN
Turn and wave. Just turn, see me and wave. Brian waves tentatively at the other's back.

BRIAN (emotionally. This silly deal with himself has taken on crazy meaning)
Just turn! Anything! I'll do anything to get her back. Turn around and wave at me. Make things change.

Fisherman starts to rise slowly. He has what he wants and is about to go back to work. He stops. CLOSE-UP of his face. He hesitates, then turns around. Way up the beach behind him, Brian stands alone. As soon as he sees the fisherman, Brian raises an arm tentatively into the air and waves. The fisherman chuckles and gives a small wave in return. Then he turns back towards the ocean. The camera moves past him, back up the beach to Brian, where we see a sad, resigned smile on his face. He's gotten what he wanted but it's not much. He shrugs and smiles.

CUT TO: EXT. BEACH. DAY
Brian is walking back towards the party along the beach. He's smiling and shaking his head. He turns around and looks back the way he came. There's the fisherman with his back to us, still fishing.

CUT TO:
INT. BRIAN'S CAR. DAY

Brian and John in the car again after the party. Brian starts the engine. He's smiling. John is amused by it.

JOHN
Why are you smiling? Did you meet someone, or did you have an epiphany? The last I saw, you were being devoured by Carla the vampire.

BRIAN
I don't know. I just feel okay. Don't ask me to analyze it. Let me have my moment.

JOHN
Look at your windshield! It's covered with ash. You can feel these damned fires everywhere. You should've been up in the helicopter yesterday!

The windshield is filthy. Before they start, Brian presses the button for the washer to clean the glass. It shoots water up and completely over the windshield in a comically high geyser. Both men laugh.

JOHN
That's a very talented spritzer you have.

Brian diddles with the wiper button but to no avail. The thing keeps arc'ing water onto the roof. After a while trying to get it to stop, he shrugs and starts off with it still going. As the car pulls away with water flying over it, we see down on the beach the fisherman still at his work. Camera pans further and far away we see very dark clouds of smoke.

CUT TO:
EXT. PACO'S TACO STAND. DAY

MILTON ROBBIE, a tattered- looking bum, wearing a large cowboy hat, is at 'PACO'S TACO' stand with his equally mangy dog, Mr. Tracy. The place is as shabby and worn down as he is.

He's being served by DONNA, obviously an old acquaintance.

DONNA
I keep telling you, Milton, if you go on feeding tacos to that old dog he's gonna die. An old stomach ain't got the lining to handle tacos.

MILTON
Mr. Tracy don't eat nothin' but tacos, Donna. He'd starve himself just for spite if I stopped feeding them to him. Costs me an arm and a leg too! I go down to the mission for my meals, but he gets take out!

DONNA (unhappy with it)
Well, I still feel criminal giving them to him. Feel like I'm putting a gun to the old dog's head.

She passes a bag of tacos over. He slowly pays from a handful of rumpled change. The dog, sensing dinner's coming, gets up slowly and watches. Milton opens the bag and unwraps a taco. From his knapsack, he pulls out an old dinner plate and shoves the food on it. Bends over and puts it on the ground in front of the dog. All this under Donna's disapproving stare. Mr. Tracy sniffs the taco and begins to eat it.

Out on the street a car full of tough-looking Hispanics pulls up. PASSENGER sticks his head out and yells

PASSENGER (loud and mean)
Hey, Old Man. What you giving that dog?

MILTON (smiling)
He's just eating lunch. The dog likes tacos.

Passenger turns and says something in Spanish to the others. Lots of laughter. When he turns back towards Milton, he has a pistol in his hand.

PASSENGER
Well here's his fucking dessert!

He shoots three times very fast and the dog is dead in an instant. Lots of laughter as the car tears away. Donna screams Milton falls to his knees and pulls the dog into his lap.

MILTON (horrified)
Oh my! Oh Mr. Tracy! Oh my God!

CUT TO:
INT.MARTIN SCHAEFER'S BEDROOM. NIGHT

Sullivan, in bed with Martin Schaefer, sits up fast and shakes her head. The last scene was her dream and she's very disturbed by it.

SULLIVAN (Very upset)
God! Oh God, that place! I used to eat there! That dog! The blood!

Schaefer, fully awake now, sits up and tries to comfort her.

MARTIN
Bad dream? Are you all right?

SULLIVAN (very shaken)
No! I don't know. It was so vivid!

Schaefer tries to put his arms around her and pull her back down into bed. She resists. He tries harder and she pulls away angrily.

SULLIVAN
Don't, Martin! Just ... don't!

Hurt, he pulls back.

MARTIN (irked)
What's the matter, Sullivan? Now it's nightmares. We don't make love anymore, you're in bad moods all the time ...

Sullivan lies back down but wraps her arms tightly around herself.

SULLIVAN
Something's wrong. Something's wrong with me. I don't know WHAT it is!

He slides over and tries to touch her. She sits up fast.

SULLIVAN
Don't! Do you understand? I don't want that.

MARTIN (thoroughly annoyed)
What DO you want?

SULLIVAN (scared)
I ... I don't know.

She curls up even more into herself. Her position and the expression on her face is all frightened child.

INT.BRIAN'S LIVING ROOM.
CUT TO:

Brian is making a meal for him and RICKY, the hostess from the beach party. He looks better, his movements are quick and sure. A television in the corner is tuned to a Russian language lesson and as he cooks, Brian and Ricky repeat what's said.

TELEVISION TEACHER
Tovarich.

BRIAN
Tovarich.

RICKY
Tovarich.

TEACHER
Dos-ve-don-ya

BRIAN
Dos-ve-don-ya

RICKY
Dos-ve-don-ya

The telephone rings and as he looks up, a fax machine nearby whistles and a message starts to scroll out. Brian walks over.

BRIAN
I don't know, Ricky. I know you love these lessons, but I don't think I'll ever be Dr. Zhivago.

She waves a hand at him to be quiet.

RICKY
Be quiet. I think this guy's accent is so cute!

CUT TO:
INT.BRIAN'S LIVING ROOM.

CLOSE-UP of message coming out of the machine. As hand takes hold of it, we read

'ARRIVING THURSDAY THE 28TH, SOUTH AFRICAN AIRLINES, FLIGHT 809. COULD YOU PLEASE BE THERE?'

BRIAN (o.s.,whooping)
She's coming back! SHE'S COMING BAAACK!

As soon as message finishes, there's a loud CLUNK, then a menacing THUNK from the machine. Paper starts to gush out of it and doesn't stop until Brian turns the machine off.

BRIAN (O.S.)
Jesus, what's that?

Hand grabs for cord and unplugs the sick machine.

BRIAN (O.S.)
So it broke. So what? So what? She's coming back!

RICKY (O.S.)
Who's coming back?

BRIAN (o.s. triumphant)
Sullivan! Sullivan's coming back!

RICKY (o.s., thrilled)
What? She is? Really? Oh hurray, Brian! Hurray!

The machine sits there, dead and ominous-looking with the long white tongue of paper gushed out of it.

CUT TO:
INT. L.A. AIRPORT. DAY.
Tired and worried-looking, Sullivan comes through the arrival gate at the airport into a mob of people waiting for others off her flight. There's much kissing and hugging and greeting all around. She definitely sees it. But Brian's not there. She looks frantically around, quicker and quicker, but he's nowhere to be seen. She's devastated.

SULLIVAN (to herself)
I knew it.

She tries to regain her composure but the disappointment is enormous. She looks ready to cry when suddenly Brian comes bursting up to the front of the crowd.

SULLIVAN (excited, relieved)
I didn't think you'd come.

BRIAN
There was a bad accident on the way over. Traffic was impossible.

They stand at an awkward uncomfortable distance, wanting to touch but afraid.

SULLIVAN
I have to tell you I don't know why I'm here. I just had to come.

They walk on together. At one point she starts to take his arm but stops and looks away. He doesn't notice because he's thinking about what she said.

BRIAN
I don't know how to answer that. Maybe just because you love me? I know I love you more than anything in the world. But now you're this other person too.

SULLIVAN
The one who betrayed you.

BRIAN (intensely)
Yes.

They walk in unhappy silence. She stops and touches his arm.

SULLIVAN
I don't know anything right now except you came and I didn't deserve it. I'll try and tell you the truth and It's clear she's disturbed and scared in equal measure.

SULLIVAN (nervous, distraught)
I had to see you again. I had to see your face and talk to you. I don't know why-- Maybe I should just I don't know, sleep in the airport or something-

BRIAN (impatient,interrupting)
Don't be silly.

She stares at him with thousand watt eyes. He runs a hand slowly across her cheek but that's all.

BRIAN
Let's eat and then we'll talk. We can talk as much as you like.

They walk towards the baggage claim. Sullivan shifts her purse from one shoulder to the other so she can take Brian's hand. As soon as she does, the two begin to walk faster.

DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BRIAN'S BATHROOM. DAY.

Sullivan is just finishing a bath. She looks around the room and realizes there are no towels with which to dry herself. Making a face, she calls out

SULLIVAN

Shoes, do you have any towels? There are none in
here.

BRIAN (O.S.)
There are some in here. Hold on a sec

The door opens and he walks in with a big towel. He's smiling.

BRIAN
'Shoes', huh? That's nice to hear again. As he comes in, Sullivan reflexively squirms and covers up. Brian stops- His face tightens carefully laying the towel on the floor next to the tub, he starts out again. She unclenches, closes her eyes, and says

SULLIVAN (ashamed)
I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking

BRIAN
It's all right. Don't worry.

He moves toward the door. She stands quickly to try and stop him.

SULLIVAN
No, Brian, don't go, Please! Stay.

He turns and looks at her a long moment.

BRIAN
I want to touch You, but I'm afraid.

SULLIVAN
I know. But Please do! I want you to.

He doesn't move. Shakes his head.

BRIAN
It's not that simple.

Looks away, looks back.

BRIAN
I don't even know... Was there ... Did the guy have a test before you slept together?

SULLIVAN (very low voice)
Yes. I insisted.

BRIAN (Grimacing. The truth is now out)
Shit

They don't know where to go with this. Sullivan steps out of the bath dripping wet and goes to him. She embraces him and they kiss hard. She moves into him but in so doing, loses her balance and stumbles. He holds her, then picks her up and awkwardly turns around and walks out of the room.

CUT TO:
INT. BRIAN'S BEDROOM. DAY

They make love but it's so much rolling and tumbling... that it looks more like wrestling. Very passionate, very aggressive. At one point he stops, lifts his head and says to her

BRIAN
Welcome home.

CUT TO:
INT. MARTIN SCHAEFER'S BEDROOM. DAY

CLOSE-UP of Sullivan sitting naked an top of someone, her face all burn and ecstasy. In contrast, this time she's moving oh-so slowly but is completely caught up in it. This shows in everything she does and says. After a while she's carefully rolled onto her back and from the shadows beneath emerges her partner--Martin Schaefer. He's a very good lover and the scene is erotic as hell. It goes on for a while.

CUT TO:
INT.BRIAN'S BEDROOM. DAY

Brian jerks awake from this graphic, unwanted dream and immediately turns to Sullivan. He watches her for a long moment, then roughly pulls her into his arms. She's been sleeping and is disoriented by his action. He doesn't care; starts to take her with a vengeance. The scene closes with a close-up of her now very wide-awake face.

CUT TO:
EXT. GARDEN OF JOHN'S APARTMENT BUILDING. DAY

John and Sullivan are standing in sweatsuits in John's backyard. She's been demonstrating how to throw a shotput.

SULLIVAN
You see, most of it's in the cradling

JOHN
Is this what you did in South Africa? Practiced shotputting?

SULLIVAN
Uh oh, here it comes. I knew sooner or later you'd start on this.

JOHN (scolding)
Wait a minute, wait a minute. Just hold it! Listen, Mud Snoot, I watched as your friend and mine died six times a day because you decided to go on permanent safari. It was horrible. And I had to watch it. You didn't.

SULLIVAN
All right. That's fair enough, but I gave up my life, John. I quit a terrific job and burned all my bridges. Every day I knew what a horrible thing I'd done to him. I don't deserve pity, but don't make it sound like it was all champagne and safaris. It wasn't.

JOHN (softening)
Were you in love?

SULLIVAN (thoughtfully)
Yes, for a while. Martin's a good man. If it weren't for Brian, I think we would have been very happy together.

JOHN
So then why DID you come back?

SULLIVAN
I told you-- I had to. It hit like a tidal wave. There was no choice, it was completely out of my control. It isn't only love, John; since I got back everything's been SO intense and powerful, it's scary. Life is all hundred megaton explosions these days.

JOHN
I envy you so much. I've never felt like that for anyone. It must be wonderful. I want to know why we don't live in an age of love. You two, odd as you are, are the only two people I know who really seem to love each other with all the old qualities of the word. It doesn't matter if you're gay or straight. There just seems to be a whole new ugly spin on the concept and I for one hate it a lot. Love is like fast food now; it comes in a plastic wrapper--you eat it as fast as you can, then go on with the rest of your day without ever thinking about what you ate or if it was good for you or not. Then you die twenty years too early because you ate too much of that poisonous junk. I should have lived in the fourteenth century. Then I would have been okay. Is it too much to ask for the real thing just once in my adult life?

He takes the shotput from her and with all the skill of a real athlete, flings it in the air. It lands very far away. He turns to her and beams.

JOHN
I still have the old jock in me! You know, when I was playing sports in college, I really thought for a while about being a professional. But because I was gay, I thought sooner or later it would come out and I'd be ruined. I guess it's better in that way today, people are more open and everything about it. But I want some romance, you know? I want to be able to look at someone the way you two look at each other all the time. You really are so lucky.

SULLIVAN

Lucky, confused, scared...

She picks up the shotput with both hands and flings it up with great success. Looks triumphantly at John, slaps her hands together to clean them and goes marching off for the shotput.

CUT TO:
INT.JOHN'S CAR. DAY

John and Sullivan in his car, on their way to lunch. She's laughing hard at something he said.

SULLIVAN
Get outta here!

JOHN
I swear! This guy looked like a million bucks,cash. I took one look at him and felt like someone had opened my head and poured in a pitcher of warm milk.

SULLIVAN (indignantly)
You stole that line from me! I told it to youafter my first date with Brian.

JOHN
I know, but it's a classic so it's mine now too. Anyway, he looks great, he has something to say, I'm thanking the gods for putting me in that bar, and then he says why don't we go back to my place. Do you believe it? Dream come true time. So we do.

SULLIVAN
And?

JOHN
And being with this man was about as much fun as stamp collecting in the dark. He asked me if I was interested in electric trains. Electric trains, for God's sake! Have you ever heard anything more perverse?

Laughing, Sullivan looks out the window and sees something. Her eyes go very wide. She grabs John's arm.

SULLIVAN
John, John, stop the car. Stop a minute!

He looks at her, concerned.

JOHN
What? What's the matter?

SULLIVAN
Pull over! Please just pull the car over there.

I have to see something.

John does as he's told but doesn't understand why. When they've stopped, Sullivan jumps out.

CUT TO:
EXT.DAY.VERY BUSY STREET

Sullivan weaves dangerously through traffic while crossing the street to a small fast food stand, 'PACO'S TACO'. We've seen it before. She stands in front, checking out the place with a mixture of wonder and distrust. It's exactly what she saw in her dream. PACO is behind the counter, looking appreciatively at her. Having looked long enough to be sure it's what she dreamt, She takes a deep breath and walks over.

SULLIVAN
Excuse me, but does a woman named Donna work here?

PACO
Donna? Yeah, used to. But she quit.

SULLIVAN(her eyes widening)
How long ago?

PACO
Couple weeks. They come by and shoot and the next day she quits. I couldn't find anyone to take her place for a long time. I had to work extra shifts!

SULLIVAN
You mean when they shot the dog?

PACO (excited)
Yeah, you see us on the news? We were on three channels and in all the papers. Funny-- a dog gets shot and suddenly you're famous! Sullivan's stunned but has to ask another question. John's come up by now and is watching from the side.

SULLIVAN
Can you tell me exactly when it happened? It's very important.

Paco thinks, then bends down behind the counter and rummages around.

JOHN (exasperated)
Sullivan, what are you doing? You almost got killed crossing that street!

She holds up a hand for him to wait. John looks at the menu. Paco straightens up with a newspaper in his hand.

PACO
Last month, on the 14th.

Sullivan takes the newspaper from him, scans it, then starts to figure out the time in her head and on her hand.

JOHN (resigned to the fact they'll be her a while) I'd like a chicken fajita, please, and a large Dr. Pepper.

Paco turns to prepare it.

SULLIVAN
God, it could have been!

She puts the paper down on the counter and reads. Paco returns with the food.

JOHN
That was the fastest fajita I ever saw. Did you cook it in your back pocket? Sullivan, do you want anything?

He examines the fajita dubiously. She ignores him and continues reading. Finishing the article, she looks at John a long moment before speaking.

SULLIVAN (slowly, waving paper at John)
1-dreamt-this-in-South-Africa! Exactly the way it happened. Exactly, according to this, John. I dreamt the whole thing. There is not one detail I didn't see!

JOHN
What did you dream?

SULLIVAN (adamant)
This! There was a bum with an old dog. The dog only ate tacos, so the guy brought him here every day for them. A waitress named Donna who served them. He was here when a bunch of kids drove up and shot the dog. I dreamt every bit of it! I saw it all-- just like here, just like it says in the paper.

PACO (starts talking, but others pay no attention to him)
Donna said she didn't wanna work no place where they shoot dogs, you know? I said, hey, that happens anywhere in this town. Where do you think you're living, huh?

Sullivan and John look at each other a long time.

SULLIVAN
What does it mean, John? How could I possibly have that dream?

JOHN
I don't know. These things do happen some time. People do have prescient dreams. You read about it all the time, but you also read about the Yeti and the Loch Ness monster, so who the hell knows?

She gives him a long look.

JOHN (hands up, surrendering)
I don't know! Maybe there is a Yeti. You say you had the dream, then you had the dream!

SULLIVAN
I did! I saw everything. Everything that's here.

Sullivan looks down, sees something and stoops over. CLOSE-UP of her face as she realizes what it is: three bullet holes at ground level across the front of the taco stand. She touches them and at the same time hears the distant, ghostly sound of a burst of gunfire and a car screeching away. She looks up at John.

DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ZOO. DAY

Brian and Sullivan are spending a day at the zoo. They amble from here to there dreamily, eating peanuts and taking in the sights. Finally they stop at the hippopotamus den.

SULLIVAN
People think the lions and tigers are the most most dangerous animals, but in South Africa, more people are killed by charging hippos than any other animal.

BRIAN
Really? They look so friendly and goofy. They always remind me of characters in a Disney cartoon.

SULLIVAN
Me too, but they're mean as hell. You're never supposed to get between a hippo and its watering if you do, you're dead. They come right for you.

She spots a toilet and starts towards it.

SULLIVAN (points to where she's going)
I'll be right back Do you know what John calls the toilet? The necessarium.

She continues on to the toilet. Brian turns towards the hippos. Camera moves in on one hippo face. Hold. Cam ra then pulls back, further, further, until we realize we're looking at the beast through the glass of a car windshield. Sullivan and Martin are in a jeep on a game preserve in Africa. Oblivious to the creature outside staring at them, they're furiously making out. It goes on a while and it's very sexy. We hear the sound of an elephant roaring. Sullivan pulls back, laughs happily, and shakes her head because this is all so wild and wonderful. She goes back to kissing. Martin begins to unbutton her shirt and she helps. Underneath is a white t-shirt that says 'Traffic in Space' Restaurant// Topanga, California'

BRIAN (O.S.)
That's my t-shirt! He's taking my shirt off her!

Camera moves out of the car again into a close-up of the eye of the hippo. Several beats. Pull back and we're once again at the zoo with Brian. Pull back further to see him staring at the animal and talking loudly to himself.

BRIAN (getting a little crazy)
I've been looking for that shirt for months! I don't believe it. My shirt! She's wearing my clothes while he's stripping them off her!

Sullivan comes up behind him and touches his shoulder. She's holding a camera and smiling, but stops fast when she sees the expression on his face.

SULLIVAN (gaily, then concerned)
Picture time! Oh, what's the matter, Shoes?

BRIAN (ominously)
Do you have my 'Traffic in Space' t-shirt?

SULLIVAN (confused)
I don't know. I guess. Maybe.

He takes her arm too hard and her eyes widen.

BRIAN
Did you take it to Africa with you?

Now she knows something's up and it ain't nice.

SULLIVAN
I don't know. I don't remember. What's the matter? What's so important about a shirt? You should see your face!

BRIAN (ignoring the statement)
What does Martin look like? Tell me exactly what he looks like.

Almost cringing, she says quietly

SULLIVAN
He's tall and dark.

BRIAN
What else?

They're walking now.

SULLIVAN (shyly)
What else do you want to know?

BRIAN (arguing with himself)
Everything. Nothing. I don't know. Tell me more what he looks like. I want to know. Be more specific.

SULLIVAN
He's about 6'2", has short black hair and looks like he works outside. He's very tan and has a nice build.

Brian stops and looks at her.

BRIAN
And he has a wonderful smile, doesn't he? And a big scar on his back from a car accident. You were always amazed that his breath never smelled, And he never made a sound when you made love, did he?

Sullivan's face says yes, but how could Brian know that?

BRIAN
Where's my 'Traffic in Space' shirt?

SULLIVAN
Why? Why is it important? What are you saying, Brian?

BRIAN
Remember the day you drove with him out to see the animals, but ended up fucking in his car? Remember that herd of impala were just a few feet away? Remember all that? And then later, when it rained?

They stop. She's horrified.

SULLIVAN (appalled,scared)
How do you know that? How do you know those things? I never said anything about any of that. How do you know?

He starts away.

BRIAN (pointing to his forehead)
Because I see them here now! I see you two together there. I see everything and I don't want to see. I never wanted to know, but now here it is and I can't do anything to stop it! I started having dreams right after you came back. Now it's not only dreams, because they come in the day too; they come all the time. I see everything! I see you two there! I see stories, pictures, whole goddamned movies of everything you did!

He shakes his hands next to his head.

BRIAN
And you know what? I don't want to see them. I swear to God, I don't want to, but I can't stop it. I cannot stop it!

They come to an escalator that will lead them out of the zoo. Sullivan's too alarmed to speak. She stares at Brian, taking his revelation in. Standing in front of them a few steps down is a gaudily dressed WOMAN. She starts down the stairs but suddenly trips and falls head first down the steps to the bottom. The escalator continues to move. Horrifyingly, her hair slides into the bottom grate where the stairs disappear.

CUT TO:
EXT. DAY. ESCALATOR

CLOSE-UP of Sullivan's astounded face.

CUT TO:
EXT. DAY. ESCALATOR

BRIAN
It's been happening for a while. I don't know when it began.

Bewildered, Sullivan looks at Brian, then quickly at the woman in front of them. Woman starts to move down the stairs in the fatal way we just saw. But now as she begins to stumble, Sullivan grabs her shoulders with both hands and is able to keep her from falling. The woman steadies herself and turns to Sullivan.

WOMAN (gratefully)
Oh my God! Thank you! Thank you so much! It's these damned heels.

Shocked by her vision, Sullivan nods and smiles but moves quickly down the steps past the woman. Brian's left staring, then follows. Sullivan runs off escalator and on towards zoo entrance. Brian right behind her.

BRIAN
Sullivan! Sull, wait!

She ignores him and keeps going. Brian catches up and stops her. She stands unmoving, eyes closed.

SULLIVAN (crying)
I saw it! I saw it happen and then it did! What is this, Shoes? What's going on with us? You're seeing things too now, but it's so different. What's happening to us?

CLOSE-UP of her face: scared, wet eyes.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT.DAY.OUTDOOR CAFE AT THE ZOO

Sullivan and Brian sitting at an outdoor restaurant at the zoo. Both have food in front of them but it is untouched.

SULLIVAN (vehement)
Why didn't you tell me this before?

BRIAN
Because it's loony tunes, Sullivan! Who knows why any of it's happening? What you're saying's just one very whacked-out possibility. You want it to be magic or something otherworldly, but maybe there's an explanation. Maybe there's a reason that's not... from another planet!

SULLIVAN
Tell me exactly what happened.

BRIAN (exasperated)/
I was standing on the beach and saw a fisherman. I said to myself if he turns around and waves at me, something good will happen. It'll make her come back. It was crazy stuff, childish.

SULLIVAN (ignoring his dismissive tone)
But what did you say? Say the words exactly as you remember them.

BRIAN (tossing it off-- it's unimportant)
I said 'I would do anything to get her back. Anything in the world.' I WOULD'VE done anything! I was dying. But it was a wish, Sull. It was me being five years old and believing things like that really happened in the world. He takes her hand.

BRIAN
But they don't! They don't, honey. There are a million people a night who wish on stars and nothing ever happens, because wishes are just that, wishes. A magical, impossible way to make the world a perfect place. We wish because there's still some kind of child in us, but we've wished too much and nothing's ever happened, so we know it's just us being kids again for a little while!

Sullivan pokes at her food.

SULLIVAN
And when was it?

BRIAN (sighing, knows he hasn't reached her) Around the middle of last month.

SULLIVAN (claps her hands, convinced)
When I had my first dream. I was in South Africa, but dreamt about a shooting at a taco stand in L.A.! And it happened, Brian. Every last thing, every little detail that was in that dream came true. How do you explain that? I wasn't making a wish. I was having a nightmare that came true!

Brian shakes his head: this is all crazy. She grabs his arm and speaks beseechingly

SULLIVAN
You saw what just happened! That woman would've had her head torn off if I hadn't grabbed her!

BRIAN (angry) How do you know? How do you know any of it's true? She tripped and you grabbed her. Saved her from falling down. All right, fine. Great. But that doesn't mean

SULLIVAN (just as angry, building in intensity)
I saw it, Shoes! Shut up and think about what's happened! How do you know what Martin Schaefer looks like? I have no pictures, not one. But you described him perfectly. You know about the scar on his back, and what he's like in bed. How? And I knew nine thousand miles away that a dog was shot on Western Avenue. And now this woman was going to fall down-- We have to find that fisherman. We have to go back to that beach and find him!

BRIAN
That's nuts! Come on! What is he going to tell us? That he's Merlin? Or maybe he's the Grimm Brothers and they're just back from the grave, working up a whole new set of fairy tales!

SULLIVAN
It's not nuts! I believe somehow you did something... and got exactly what you wanted: Me. I came back. I was happy as a clam in South Africa. Then suddenly for no reason, everything changed. Everything went bad. I felt this terrible need to come back and see you. I dreamt about a dog being shot. I became absolutely frigid towards a man I--

Seeing Brian's face fall, she changes tack.

SULLIVAN
I'm sorry, but you've got to understand; I loved it there, Shoes. I wanted to stay! But suddenly I couldn't. You got your wish; I came back. But ever since then, everything's too much between us too! I think about you, and us, all day long. We think the same thoughts, say exactly the same thing at the same time. You'd do anything to get me back? Well, I'm back. And everything's good between us, but what's the payback, Brian? Will it be worth it?

BRIAN
I don't know. I guess we just have to play it out.

In frustration, he stabs a fork into his salad and pulling out a hunk of lettuce, shaves it into his mouth. Sullivan reaches into her pocket and takes out the good luck stone he gave her. In her dexterous hands, the stone comes and goes, disappears for a second and then is back again. He watches.

SULLIVAN
We have to find that fisherman. That's where we start!

BRIAN
That's crazy! What good will he do, even if you're right?

Gestures toward her hand.

BRIAN
You do that all the time now.

SULLIVAN
Because I'm nervous.

She continues her play.

BRIAN
I'm nervous too. She nods.

BRIAN (waving his fork in front of her face)
Look at me! I'm nervous too. Believe me, I don't want to know what your sex life was like with Martin Schaefer!

Her hands stop, then keep moving. The stone disappears again. This time, Sullivan stops. Confused, she opens both hands to show she isn't hiding it-- the stone really has disappeared.

BRIAN
What's the matter?

SULLIVAN
I- I don't know where the stone is!

Brian smiles indulgently, knowing she's fooling around. But Sullivan's face is a 100% serious.

BRIAN
Uh huh!

SULLIVAN (upset)
Really! I had it, but I don't now. I'm not being funny. It's- gone.

BRIAN
You're serious?

She nods and her expression says she's not kidding.

BRIAN
You didn't drop it or anything?

She puts up a hand, Girl Scout-pledge style. Slumps in her chair.

BRIAN
I think we're in for some strange stuff.

CUT TO:
EXT.BEACH. DAY

The two are walking down the beach where Brian saw the fisherman. They're both looking everywhere but Brian is shaking his head.

BRIAN (exasperated)
He's not here. This is crazy--this is the third time we've been here, Sullivan. Maybe he doesn't even live here. Maybe he was just visiting!

Sullivan's face tightens and she marches forward, leaving Brian behind.

SULLIVAN
Maybe even if he is, he won't have anything to say. But we've still got to try and find him! That's all! We've got to!

Brian watches her leave then shaking his head, slowly follows.

CUT TO:
INT:SERVICE STATION. DAY

Brian is paying at the cashier at a service station. It's one of those multi-service places that sells all kinds of food and drink as well. Sullivan is roaming around in the back somewhere, with some potato chips and a bottle of Coke in her hand. Brian finished paying and steps away from the register to make way for the next person in line. WOMAN pays for a bag of Fritos.

CASHIERAnything else?

WOMAN (Southern accent)
Yeah. Today I feel lucky. Give me one of those dollar scratchers.

Cashier picks up a large fishbowl behind the counter and offers it to the woman. She selects one, pays, then steps away from the counter. She rummages in her pocket for her car keys, finds them, then starts to use the key to scratch on the card.

BRIAN
Sullivan, are you ready?

She ambles up to him and holds up her bag of chips.

SULLIVAN
These are new. Hot and spicy nacho chips? You won't be able to kiss me for a week.

She goes to the counter with her purchases. The woman scratcher is still there, scratching away, her tongue out of the corner of her mouth. As Sullivan's purchases are being rung up, she looks at what the woman is doing and smiles. Woman pays no attention.

SULLIVAN
Did you ever do that?

Brian smiles, shakes his head no. Woman finishes scratching and her face transforms to absolute wonder.

WOMAN
Oh my God! Oh my God! Look at this! Look at this! I won a thousand dollars! I got a thousand dollars! I never won anything in my life. But I got it! Look!

She pushes past Sullivan to the cashier, who looks at her card and shakes his head.

CASHIER
You did! You won!

Sullivan's eyes go wide and she looks immediately at Brian, alarmed.

BRIAN (knowing what's coming next)
Come on, let's go.

WOMAN
Nothing! I never won a thing in my life. But I just got this feeling. I just knew I had to buy one of those things today.

Sensing Sullivan's about to say something, Brian takes her by the arm and steers her toward the door.

SULLIVAN
Did you hear that? Brian? Did you hear what she said? She never won anything. But-

BRIAN
Yup. I heard. Come on, let's go.

SULLIVAN (allowing herself to be led, but looking over her shoulder at the woman)
But Brian

BRIAN
I know. I know. Let's go.

The two of them leave.

WOMAN
I never been lucky. I've bought lottery tickets my whole life, but I never won anything. Look at that! A thousand dollars!

DISSOLVE TO:
INT. TAROT READER'S DEN. DAY

Sullivan is sitting at a card table with a WOMAN. There are beautifully illustrated Tarot cards spread on the table in front of them and the woman is looking at the spread very carefully. Sullivan is hunched forward, looking too, trying to decipher anything.

WOMAN(thoughtfully)
Uh huh! That's interesting.

SULLIVAN (leaning forward more, expectantly)
What? What do you see?

WOMAN
You'll be travelling soon. A long trip.

SULLIVAN (shoving back, disgusted)
I will not! I just got back from a long trip.

WOMAN (looks at her)
Oh. Well, that's interesting.

SULLIVAN
I'm not going on a trip. I'm not meeting any dark strangers. I'm not looking for money. Is there anything there?

Woman looks at the cards again. Smiles.

WOMAN
You have a very strong personality. Men like you and your romantic life is going to be great.

Sullivan gives her a look that would melt a cactus. Taken aback, the woman licks her lips nervously, throws up her hands in defeat.

WOMAN
Sometimes the cards are not in the mood.

She looks down at them and brightens.

WOMAN
Ah! You own a big dog, huh?

Sullivan closes her eyes and her head droops.

CUT TO:
BRIAN'S LIVING ROOM. DAY

As in the first shot of the movie, we're seeing the living room through the water and glass of Big Mike's fish tank. But this time there are two noticeable differences--Big Mike is floating belly-up dead at the top of the water, and Sullivan's magic stone is lying prominently at the bottom of the tank. Hold a moment, then see the door on the other side of the room swing open and Sullivan walks in wearing a bathrobe. She putters around the room but doesn't look towards the tank for a while. When she does, it's some seconds before it registers on her the fish is dead. Shocked, she claps a hand over her mouth and comes slowly toward us. When she's just on the other side of the glass, we watch her eyes and expression as she looks at the dead fish. She recoils when she recognizes her stone at the bottom. Everything is on and across her face in an instant.

DISSOLVE TO;
EXT. SMOKING RUINS. DAY

HUSBAND & WIFE stand in front of the remains of a burned house, both furiously smoking cigarettes. Brian, John, and their sound man Lutens are nearby, looking at the smoldering house.

LUTENS
Were you able to save anything?

HUSBAND
Our cats. That's all we had time for. The firemen came in and said we had half an hour to be out and down the canyon road. The fire came so fast-

Man shakes his head in wonderment.

WIFE (in a voice like an angry frog)
What can you do when you got five minutes to collect a lifetime? I say screw it; let it burn. I got him

Gestures towards her husband

WIFE
He'll keep me sane.

A strong Santa Ana wind starts to blow. All of them squint and turn away from it.

JOHN
If these winds keep up, it's gonna be hell for the firemen. These fires just don't go away!

Lutens starts` back to the van. John and the couple continue to talk. Brian walks around the rubble, kicking things aside here and there. Suddenly he stops and frowns. He walks directly to a place and bends down over it. Picking up a stick, he digs in the ground and pushes debris aside. He sees something. Tossing the stick aside, he digs with both hands. The ground's hot and he burns his hands. Finally he finds what he's looking for--a long thin box. Picks it up and walks with it back to the couple. He hands it to the woman who looks and her mouth drops open.

WIFE
Oh my God! My mother's watch! Where did you find it?

BRIAN
Over there.

WIFE
I don't believe it! Is that what I told you, Lenny? I said if there was one thing I'd've saved it woulda been Ma's watch! It still works! Do you believe it?

John looks carefully at Brian and his friend looks back. The wind whips up again. Brian shakes his head.

CUT TO:
INT:TELEVISION VAN. DAY

Lutens is driving. John and Brian sit in the back of the van.

BRIAN
It was just suddenly there. I saw it in my mind, clear as day, underneath the rubble. John rubs his mouth.

JOHN
I hate this stuff. It makes me believe in the supernatural and I don't want to! Life's trouble enough. Are you going to tell Sullivan?

BRIAN (angry)
I don't want to tell her anything, John. I don't want her to believe she came back because I put a fucking spell on her! Can you imagine me having ... POWERS!

He sighs and smiles.

LUTENS (lecturing from the front seat)
Hey, Brian, if you got powers then you better accept them. My teacher, Sri Chinba, says the powers of the world belong to all men.

John rolls his eyes.

JOHN
Thank you, Gary. But I thought you broke up with the Sri when he took away your girlfriend.

LUTENS (huffily)
Yeah, well, we made up when he told me I was just trying to hold onto the sensual and deny the spiritual.

JOHN (quietly, to Brian)
I think in my next life I want to be Sri Chinba.

BRIAN
Let's talk about something else. Tell me the name of your new friend again.

JOHN
Can't you see it written across my forehead in neon? Tetsu. The most beautiful Japanese man I ever saw. He was an Olympic diver!

BRIAN
Is this a real thing or are you just dabbling?

JOHN
I'm certainly not dabbling! But I don't know how he feels yet. I've been too afraid to ask. I can't wait to hear what you and Sullivan say after you meet him.

BRIAN (sincerely)
I hope it works out for you.

JOHN (taking a deep breath)
So do I.

CUT TO:
EXT:BUS STOP.DAY

A Mexican family walks up to a bus stop and all of them except for the father sit down. There is the father, mother, and three little girls ranging in age from six to nine. Everyone in the family is formally dressed for church, especially the girls who all look like bright little angels. Their clothing is formal but obviously cheap because it's clear from one look this is a lower class bunch of people all dolled up for a very special occasion. It's also clear from the way the mother treats the girls that she is extremely proud of them. The father looks on with a proudDaddy air, but he's also trying to look as cool as possible in his cheap suit and tie. The girls are bouncing all over the place while the mother smooths the wrinkles on their dresses and tries to calm them down as best she can.

CUT TO:
INT:SULLIVANIS CAR. DAY

Sullivan is driving down the street, listening to a tape on the car stereo.

TAPE VOICE
The question of whether there are other realities has baffled mankind for as long as we can remember.

Spooky music plays in the background.

SULLIVAN
Come on, tell me something I don't know. I paid twenty bucks for you and I want some answers.

TAPE VOICE
Throughout history, we have tried to plumb the depths of theunknown and every once in a while there has been a glimmer of what just might be on the other side of the cosmic veil.

There is a loud BOOM, then the instantly recognizable sound of a tire wapping against the ground, flat.

SULLIVAN
I don't believe this, a flat tire?

She turns the wheel of the car and pulls over to the side of the road very near to the bus stop. She gets out, walks around the car, looks at the tire and kicks the dead thing. She looks around but there is nothing near except this bus stop with the family there, all of them watching her intently. She throws up her hands dramatically, points to the tire.

SULLIVAN
Flat tire!

None of them seem to understand what she is talking about. She goes to the trunk of the car and opens it. Bends down into it and rummages around in there.

SULLIVAN
Well, thank God there's a spare.

When she looks up again, she is surprised to see the father from the family standing very near, holding the hand of one of his daughters. Momentarily taken aback, Sullivan regains her composure and smiles.

SULLIVAN
Such a nice day for a flat tire, huh?

Looks at the little girl.

SULLIVAN
Wow, aren't you dressed up!

FATHER (heavy Spanish accent)
It is her day for Confirmation. Her and all my daughters.

Points back to the bench. Sullivan looks over and everyone smiles back and forth.

SULLIVAN
Everyone looks wonderful. You must be very proud.

FATHER (beaming)
I am very much. I will help you with your tire.

Sullivan looks at him in his nice suit and smiling, shakes her head.

SULLIVAN
Oh thank you very much, but you're all dressed up. I wouldn't want you to get dirty. But thank you for the offer.

FATHER
Is nothing. I will be very careful.

Turns towards his wife.

FATHER
Elise!

Wife stands up and taking the hands of the other two girls, comes slowly over.

MOTHER
Hello!

Father carefully takes off his jacket and hands it to his wife who puts it over her arm.

SULLIVAN
No really, it isn't necessary. I can do it. You'll get dirty.

FATHER
No problem.

He goes to the trunk and starts to get out the tire and jack. Sullivan says to the mother

SULLIVAN
It's so nice of him, but he really doesn't have to.

Mother just smiles at her and nods vigorously. Father pulls out the spare, puts it on the ground, then takes out the jack and starts putting it together. The bus arrives at the stop, discharges its passengers, then roars off. Sullivan looks from it to the father, makes a face. Father goes to work on the tire. Sullivan stands back and watches. The little girls begin to play near the mother and she watches them happily.

CUT TO
EXT:STREET. DAY

Father is finishing up on the tire. Sullivan, Mother, and the girls stand on the sidewalk watching him proudly.

FATHER
It is finished.

SULLIVAN
Oh thank you so-

She stops, closes her eyes and appears to be thinking hard about something.

FATHER (concerned)
Are you all right?

Sullivan opens her eyes and looks at him.

SULLIVAN (distracted)
Yes, fine. But wait!

She turns around and walks fast down the street, away from the car. Father looks at Mother and shrugs. One of the little girls runs after Sullivan but is stopped when Mother calls

MOTHER
Consuela!

CUT TO:
EXT:STREET.DAY

Quite a ways down the sidewalk from her car, Sullivan stops dead and looks down at the ground. She scans the area with her eyes a while as if searching for something she already knows is there. She walks slowly a little further, then squats down and runs her hand back and forth across the small patch of grass there. Her hand stops and she reaches for something.

CUT TO:
Sullivan's hand picking up a lovely gold and jeweled ring from the grass.

CUT TO:
EXT:STREET. DAY

Sullivan stands, brings the ring to her face and smiles widely. At a jog she starts back for the car. When she gets there, slightly out of breath, she goes to the Father and hands the ring over to him. He doesn't understand what she is doing.

SULLIVAN
It's for you. It's for helping me out.

Father tentatively reaches forward and takes the ring from her. His eyes go wide and unconsciously he shakes his head that he cannot take it from her.

FATHER
No, I cannot

SULLIVAN
Sure you can. Finder's Keepers!

Father walks over to his wife and shows it to her. She is as astonished by the gift as her man. Both of them stare at Sullivan in wonder. Mother says something in Spanish to Father.

FATHER
My wife says this is not possible.

Sullivan walks over to him, takes the ring from him. Walks over to one of the little girls and carefully places it in the child's hand.

SULLIVAN
Then let me give it to her. As a present.

Father and Mother look at her, finally smile. Mother reaches down to take the ring away from the girl. Child doesn't want to give it up and there's a little struggle for it.

FATHER
How did you know it was there?

SULLIVAN
Just a little bit of magic I know. Sometimes I just know where things are.

CUT TO:
INT:CAR. DAY

Sullivan and the whole Mexican family driving in her car to wherever it is they want to go. Mother and daughters are in the back, Father is sitting in the front, proud as punch, smoking a cigarette. Mother stretches out her left hand and looks at the beautiful ring there.

CUT TO:
INT.RESTAURANT.DAY.

Brian and John, dressed as we last saw them, are sitting in a nice restaurant at a table set for four. John is nervous as hell. Talking non-stop, he keeps looking at the door, waiting for his new friend to arrive.

JOHN
This luncheon makes me feel like I'm bringing my fiancee home to meet my parents.

BRIAN (kidding)
I am not your mother.

JOHN
Oh, it'd be so much easier if you were! Where are they? Your date's late, my date is late. Do you think they agreed to stand us up? Maybe they eloped together.

Sullivan walks quickly into the restaurant with a worried look on. She scans the room for her men. Both Brian and John wave. She's over there fast and barely sitting down, grabs John by the shoulder.

SULLIVAN
John, your friend's name is Tetsu, right? Tetsu Murasaki.

JOHN (nodding, singing)
'The most beautiful sound I ever heard, Tetsu, Tetsu, Tetsu Murasaki-'

Sullivan shakes her head at him-- she's serious.

SULLIVAN
Don't screw around. He's in the hospital. He was coming over here but got halfway and started to bleed out of the mouth. He was barely able to drive to Faith Memorial before he passed out. It's a bleeding ulcer.

JOHN (alarmed)
What do you mean? How do you know? How do you know this, Sullivan?

BRIAN (looking long at Sullivan)
She just knows, John.

JOHN (starts to rise)
At Faith Memorial? You're sure?

SULLIVAN
John, go. He's there, believe me. He was wearing the yellow shirt you gave him.

That's all the proof John needs. He's out of there with barely a nod in their direction.

SULLIVAN
Where does it end, Brian? You made your deal, and this is the payback: we're happy, but everything around us has gone bad or crazy.

BRIAN (indignant)
Not us!

SULLIVAN (strong and ironic)
No, WE keep getting stronger, but we're making everything around us go up in smoke. Like these fires! I'm scared to death! I've ben trying to find some answer to it, but there isn't one. It just is and we're both not doing anything to stop it.

BRIAN (quietly)
It's true.

SULLIVAN (taken aback)
What do you mean?

BRIAN (sighing)
What's that old saying; if the Gods really hate you, they make your dreams come true?

CUT TO:
INT.AIRPLANE CABIN. NIGHT

The sexy dark of an airplane cabin at night. Small lights glowing here and there, CLOSE-UP of very beautiful WOMAN shaking her head in wonderment.

WOMAN
That's the most romantic story I ever heard! She must be a remarkable woman.

MARTIN (o.s., low and sexy)
I wanted to talk to her for the rest of my life. Sometimes I'd pick up her clothes and hold them to my face just to smell them. They always smelled of hope.

WOMAN (sighing)
Amazing. But why did she leave?

MARTIN (O.S.)
I'm still trying to figure that out. One day she woke up and was a completely different person. She wouldn't tell me why. A couple of days later she was gone. I didn't understand it. I still don't.

WOMAN
So you're going to go get her?

MARTIN (O.S.)
I'll never be at peace if I don't try.

WOMAN (gently)
But she's with someone else.

MARTIN (O.S.)
Yes. She went back to her old love. I thought she was mine, but she left.

CUT TO:
INT. AIRPLANE CABIN. NIGHT

There's enough light to make out the face of Martin Schaefer.

MARTIN (philosophically)
I've had it easy; life's usually been my friend. But this time what I wanted more than anything else left. I have to try.

WOMAN (o.s.)
She's an incredibly lucky woman.

MARTIN
Oh no! I was lucky to have her as long as I did. What I'm doing now is greed, plain and simple.

DISSOLVE TO:
INT:SULLIVAN'S OFFICE.DAY

In a busy office full of people, Sullivan sits in a small office of her own, her desk spread with work. She's talking on the phone but at the same time going through a sheaf of papers in front of her. She shifts the phone from ear to ear as she tries to find something amidst the pile. Way across the main room, we see Martin Schaefer ask a secretary for directions. She points towards Sullivan who doesn't see him coming until he is in her doorway.

SULLIVAN (on the phone)
Jeanette, if they don't come through with this, we're all in deep doo-doo. I can't find the damned paper, but I know Hudson promised us those contracts by the third. We have to hold him to it! You've got to convince them to get them done on time. I know. I know Jeanette, but that doesn't

Martin stands patiently smiling until she finally looks up and sees him. His smile falls away and he is suddenly a little boy who might be sent away forever. Sullivan's mouth drops and she becomes very flustered and animated.

SULLIVAN
Oh my God! Oh! Look, um, something just came up. I'll get back to you later, okay?

Puts down the phone and staring at Martin, puts both hands on her cheeks. She opens her mouth to say something, stops, lowers her head and closes her eyes.

MARTIN (hands up defensively)
I didn't know how to do this, so I just came. If you want me to go away, just say so.

SULLIVAN
No, of course not, Martin. Come in!

Pause.

SULLIVAN(quietly but full of emotion)
It's good to see you.

He comes in hesitantly and sits in the chair she offers.

SULLIVAN
Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would have met you at the airport.

MARTIN
Because everything's been spur of the moment. I left everything in a mess at home and just bought a ticket. No, that's lying. I don't want to lie to you. The truth is, I was afraid if I told you I was coming, you'd have said no. I just need an hour to talk to you. Please give me that.

He steps forward, then stops, not knowing what to do next. She goes to the door and closes it. Comes back and stands next to him.

SULLIVAN(disturbed)
Of course. How could you think I wouldn't?

MARTIN(sheepishly)
I discovered after you left that I didn't function very well without you. I tried to get over it, but you were still there. You just wouldn't leave my heart. You were tattooed there.

She is noticeably touched and drawn to him. Puts a hand on his shoulder.

MARTIN
There was no other choice. I had to see you again and tell you. Love makes us do the most amazing things.

She's stopped by that. The line has so many different meanings in her life right now.

SULLIVAN (realizing something)
But what about your airline project? Aren't you supposed to be

He slides his hands across each other like a baseball umpire signalling the runner is safe.

MARTIN
This was more important. I don't think you have any idea how important you are.

SULLIVAN
Oh wow. Look, this has knocked me completely nuts. My mind is like a broken tv right now. Can we get together later? Where are you staying?

MARTIN
The Peninsula.

She writes this down.

SULLIVAN
All right. Can we meet tonight? Like around seven? Can we have dinner?

MARTIN (smiling)
Why don't we eat at my hotel? I hear it's very good.

SULLIVAN (seriously flustered)
Good. Oh boy, what a shock. When I saw you standing there in the doorway, I thought for a minute ... Never mind.

He stands to go.

MARTIN
I simply had to come and take whatever consequences there'd be.

SULLIVAN
But I just walked out. How could you love someone who did that to you?

MARTIN
I thought I had you; I thought we were fixed. I was wrong. This is not the place to talk about it. Let's wait till tonight. Can you get away without there being trouble?

A beat.

SULLIVAN
I don't know. But I'll be there.

CUT TO:
INT. BRIAN'S BATHROOM

Sullivan stands in front of the bathroom mirror, putting the last touches on her go-out-for-the-night makeup. She's clearly nervous and does things in jerky, rushed ways. She knocks over a bottle of Brian's cologne and it crashes to the floor.

SULLIVAN
Damn!

She puts a hand to her cheek and leans against the mirror. Pulls back. Still looking in the mirror, her expression changes dramatically. She sees something there that makes her go wideeye'd.

CUT TO:
EXT:COUNTRY STREET.NIGHT

A small town street scene at night full of police cars, fire trucks, ambulances. Sirens everywhere, the strobe of flashing lights illuminating cops and firemen running around. Things are very loud, dramatic and ominous. Sirens, people shouting, then the sound of something unrecognizable until we actually see it-the roar and whoosh of huge flames. Something big and bad is going on here but it's hard to tell what. Camera pans and now we see enormous flames shooting into the sky. A small airplane stands nose-up on the ground, fire engulfing it.

CUT TO:
INT.BRIAN'S BATHROOM.

Sullivan staring into the mirror. She has been having another prophetic vision. Blinking hard, she touches her face and grimaces.

SULLIVAN
Stop!

Storms out of the bathroom. We hear the door to the apartment slam shut.

CUT TO:
EXT: GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATER. NIGHT

Brian is filming the opening of a celebrity-studded film opening. Photographers and t.v. people everywhere, fans being held back by police lines ... Someone famous gets out of a lima. People yell and cheer. Just when Brian should be filming the star, he lets the camera drop off his shoulder. His face is all astonishment and hurt. He realizes where Sullivan is and what she's doing. He turns and hands the camera to Lutens who, not understanding what's going on, doesn't know how to react. Brian pushes the camera toward Lutens who reluctantly takes it.

LUTENS
What the hell are you doing,man? There she is! You got to shoot her!

BRIAN (to himself)
He came! The bastard. He's here!

Without any explanation to Lutens, Brian walks dejectedly away from the scene and the job he was supposed to be doing.

BRIAN (with his back turned to us) He's back! I can't believe it!

DISSOLVE TO:
INT:DINING ROOM. PENINSULA HOTEL

In the gorgeous, elegant dining room, Sullivan and Martin are sitting in a cozy corner talking and laughing. The waiter comes by and picks up the champagne battle from its holder. Martin asks with a gesture if Sullivan wants more and she smiles yes at both her friend and the waiter.

CUT TO:
EXT:BRIAN'S BALCONY. NIGHT

Brian is sitting out on the balcony of their apartment late at night. Only the light from the street is shining. A door closes somewhere. A light comes on in the apartment. He's smoking and looks unhappily towards the light. Noises from inside the apartment. Then Sullivan emerges from the dark, dressed up the way we saw her last scene. She doesn't know how to act or what to say and all of her gestures and movements until she starts are both hesitant, almost fearful.

SULLIVAN
You're smoking.

BRIAN
I am.

SULLIVAN
You haven't done that for a long time.

BRIAN
This is true. But tonight is a special occasion. Isn't it?

SULLIVAN
Are you all right?

BRIAN
I don't know, are you? Did you sleep with him?

She comes over, sits down next to him and puts a hand on his leg.

SULLIVAN (quietly)
No. I knew you'd know I was with him. Martin came here because he says I'm the love of his life and he had to try to win me back.

BRIAN(ironically)
Popular girl.

SULLIVAN (forcefully)
It doesn't matter, Brian. I'm with you and I told him that.

He turns and looks at her directly for the first time. His face is angry and tormented.

BRIAN
You can tell him whatever you want, but the man came from South Africa to get you. Do you honestly think saying no is going to stop him from trying? Do you really think he's going to turn around now and go home? How did he react?

SULLIVAN
He was very calm and sweet. Then he said it wasn't fair.

Brian snorts at that. He couldn't care less.

BRIAN
I'll bet you this isn't over.

SULLIVAN
But I want it to be over because it scares me, Shoes! All of this is getting out of hand! You turn a corner and there's another shock or slap in the face. Every day it's something else! Today it's Martin. What'll it be tomorrow?

BRIAN (ignoring that)
Did you tell him about any of this? About what's been happening to us lately?

SULLIVAN (quizzically)
No. Why would I?

Long beat.

BRIAN (nasty)
Because his coming here is probably part of it! I have a good idea-- let him hang around you a while and he'll get hit by a truck!

SULLIVAN (stung)
Why did you say that? I love you more than anything!

He gets up and starts for the door.

BRIAN
I sat here tonight coming up with different hideous scenarios of what you were doing with him. Know why? Because I thought if I imagined every ugly possibility, then no matter what you told me when you came home, it couldn't be as bad as what I'd pictured. That's sick! I don't want to do that with you, ever. I don't want to have to think about what you might be doing with another man.

SULLIVAN (seething)
I can't help what you see! You made the wish, remember? Is that my fault? She shies back like she knows she should not have said that. Brian is unfazed.

BRIAN
I saw him breathing you, Sullivan, and my heart grew so big in my chest that my bones hurt. I know how he feels about you. Even now, when you say everything's all right. You and John are my best friends in the world. So as my friend, tell me why I'm so scared?

DISSOLVE TO:
EXT.DAY. STREET IN FRONT OF BRIAN'S APARTMENT BUILDING

John and Sullivan walking down the street together towards her apartment building. They are talking animatedly.

JOHN
Tetsuls very bad. First they thought he'd be out of the hospital in about three days. But not after these tests today.

SULLIVAN
And what do the doctors say?

JOHN
That it's bad. It's really, really serious.

As they approach her door, a man (ZOOKEEPER) steps out of a large van and looking at a photograph, walks up to them.

ZOOKEEPER
Excuse me, but are you Sullivan Mitchell?

SULLIVAN
Yes.

ZOOKEEPER
I have a delivery for you, Ms. Mitchell. Could you come around to the back of the building?

She looks at John but he doesn't know what's going on either.

SULLIVAN
Who are you? What do you mean, delivery?

ZOOKEEPER
Well, it'd be better if we just went to the back and saw for yourself.

Sullivan looks at John who shrugs a 'why not?'

SULLIVAN
Okay, sure.

The three of them walk around the building.

CUT TO:
INT. BRIAN'S BUILDING.DAY

EXT. YARD BEH

Another ZOOKEEPER stands in the backyard, petting an unmoving baby black rhinoceros.

JOHN
Oh my God, it's Daktari!

Sullivan claps her hands delightedly and goes right over to the animal which watches her indifferently. Bravely she walks right up and starts to pet it. The animal accepts her and goes back to grazing the backyard.

SULLIVAN
A baby rhino! Do you know how much I love rhinos?

Martin steps out from the shadows and walks over.

MARTIN
I know, you told me. Her name is Sullivan. I hope you don't mind.

Sullivan doesn't know where to look-- at Martin or the animal.

SULLIVAN (thrilled)
Oh Martin, she's wonderful! I can't believe you actually did this!

John knows immediately who Schaefer is and stares at him skeptically. Martin takes this in, then puts out his hand to shake.

MARTIN
Martin Schaefer.

JOHN
John McKinley. Did you bring it from South Africa? How much excess baggage did they make you pay?

Sullivan fawns over the rhino, leaving the men to talk alone.

MARTIN
Yes I did bring it. The zoo here has been trying to buy one for a long time and I was able to help arrange it. That's why they let me name her. It is a her, by the way.

JOHN
Looks like one of my old lovers.

Martin smiles, but all his attention is on Sullivan. She is completely enthralled by the creature. She bends over and picks up a handful of grass, tries to give it, but the rhino ignores her. It keeps making little whinnying noises that tickle Sullivan even more. She looks again and again at the two men to see if they're getting all the wonderfulness of this beast.

MARTIN
She can only stay a little while and then must be smuggled back into the zoo. This is all very illegal, I'm afraid. I'm sure the police will be here any minute.

He looks around and on all sides of the yard, astonished neighbors are everywhere- on their back porches, at the gate, looking out windows ... at what's in Sullivan's yard. She bends over and kisses the beast's head. The zookeeper gently pulls on the rope and it follows him towards the street. Sullivan follows.

SULLIVAN
I'll be right back.

MARTIN
Take your time.

Zookeeper hands rope to Sullivan and the three of them walk out of the backyard. As soon as she's gone, John looks at Martin skeptically and closes one eye as if he's sizing him up for a painting.

MARTIN
Sullivan spoke a great deal about you.

JOHN (amused)
I bet she did. You're an original, Martin. Most women would be happy with roses.

MARTIN
She's not most women. She deserves more than roses. Would it be possible for us to have lunch one day? I would very much like to talk to you about all this.

JOHN
But I'm the enemy camp! Sullivan and Brian are my best friends. I think you're very wrong to come here. It'll just complicate things and make everyone more upset.

MARTIN
I understand, but still, do you think we might talk?

JOHN
Sure. You are here for her, aren't you?

MARTIN
I am.

JOHN
If you love her then why don't you respect her wishes and leave her and Brian alone?

MARTIN
Because I do love her. Only a fool walks away without trying.

JOHN
And Brian?

MARTIN (dismissively)
Am I supposed to care about him?

JOHN (firmly)
Sullivan does.

MARTIN
I'll leave when I'm convinced she really does want me to go. Right now I'm not sure.

JOHN
1 am.

MARTIN
And that's one of the reasons why I'd like to have lunch with you. It'd be nice to have Brian with us too, but I don't think he'd be interested.

JOHN (sniffs the air)
Smells a little obnoxious around here, don't you think?

MARTIN
I'm simply telling you the truth. I'm here for her. I would like to talk with you about that.

JOHN
I have no secrets to tell you. I'd only be going because I'm perverse and nosy.

MARTIN
Fair enough.

JOHN
All right. But I'm telling them about it.

MARTIN
I assumed you would.

Sullivan reappears from around the building, beaming.

SULLIVAN
Oh Martin, that was a wonderful surprise! Is its name really Sullivan?

MARTIN
Yes. I insisted.

JOHN
I bet you never had a rhinoceros named after you.

SULLIVAN
Some people have boats, I have a rhino. How did you do it?

MARTIN
As I said, I helped arrange to bring it here. They had no idea how happy I was when I heard it was possible!

SULLIVAN (proudly to John)
Martin's on so many committees down there. I never understood when he had time to do his work.

MARTIN (speaking only to her)
When it's important, you make time.

JOHN (skeptical)
Hmm.

SULLIVAN
Do you have time to come in for a cup of tea? Or a drink, or something?

MARTIN
That'd be lovely, but I don't want to make any trouble for you.

JOHN (airily, then dead-serious)
Don't worry. Brian's out on assigment today. Look, I think you're original and clever, but your being here is just not a good idea.

MARTIN (ignoring John, staring at Sullivan) I have what -,he needs. She just doesn't realize that yet.

SULLIVAN (taken aback, offended)
I think that's up to me to decide, Martin.

The two of them look at each other, stalemated.

MARTIN (starts to leave)
I'm sorry. It's obviously time for me to go. We still have things to talk about, Sullivan.

He leaves. A few beats pass while Sullivan makes a perplexed face at John. He sees something in the corner of the yard and walking over there, gestures. It's a huge pile of rhino shit.

JOHN (pointing to it)
Maybe he wants to talk to you about this.

CUT TO:
INT: TELEVISION NEWS OFFICE. DAY

Brian walks back into the news office carrying a large camera over his shoulder and other paraphernalia. Lutens is right behind him with his stuff. There's all sorts of activity-- people typing, reading newspapers, talking ... A busy place. They both dump their things on adjoining desks and flop in their chairs, bone-tired. They look at a news broadcast on a small t.v. over in a corner. RICKY comes up and hands Brian a manila folder. She stands over his shoulder while he opens it and riffles through what's in there.

RICKY
This is all I came up with on your man Martin Schaefer. He's a pretty powerful guy down there. The entry on him in 'Who's Who' alone goes almost a whole page.

BRIAN
But nothing bad? No juicy rumors or scandals? Come on, Ricky. No one does research like you. Everyone's got to have some bones in their closets.

RICKY
Not Martin. The guy's clean and powerful. Pretty cute too. Single, rich, heterosexual. She smiles saucily.

RICKY
Can you fix me up with him?

Brian makes a face-- he's not happy with the comment.

LUTENS
I thought you were so happy with Victor?

RICKY
I was, till I saw this guy. Just kiddddding! Do you need anything else?

BRIAN
No, thanks a lot for helping, Ricky.

RICKY (leaving)
Are you ever going to tell me why you want to know about him?

LUTENS (butting in)
The guy's a jizz bag. He's into toilet slavery.

Ricky's mouth drop opens. Brian cracks up laughing. Ricky sees she's being put on.

RICKI
How would you know, Gary? The only thing you know about is Sri Give Me All Your Money!

She sashays away.

BRIAN
But you know, that WOULD make things simpler. I could just go to her and say Sull, your man has evil habits.

Lutens shakes his head.

LUTENS
That doesn't work anymore, Man. There are no more evil habits. Everything's okay now. If you can get away with it, then it's all right.

Brian jumps out of his chair and points an angry finger at Lutens.

BRIAN
And I hate that! There ARE rules, dam it! And we know them! We just don't want to follow them because it takes too much effort.

He realizes he's way overboard. He grabs his jacket off a chair and storms out of the office.

CUT TO:
EXT: STREET IN FRONT OF BRIAN'S APARTMENT. EARLY EVENING

Brian drives up to his apartment building and gets slowly out of the car. It's been a long day. He stands and stretches. In the middle of the stretch, he sees something that stops him dead. He stares hard to make sure it's what he thinks it is.

BRIAN
Son of a bitch!

With no hesitation, he starts across the street towards a car parked down the way. Sitting inside is Martin Schaefer. Brian walks right up. He bends over to take a good look inside and barks out

BRIAN
What do you want?

Schaefer turns slowly to look at him. He is in no hurry and certainly not disturbed by this face at his window.

MARTIN
Excuse me?

BRIAN
I know who you are. What do you want? What are you doing here?

Martin reaches out the window to shake but Brian ignores it. Martin takes the hand back in slowly. Everything the guy does is extra cool and calm.

MARTIN
How did you know it was me?

BRIAN
Don't worry how I knew. What do you want?

MARTIN
I was just waiting for Sullivan to come out.

BRIAN (instantly suspicious)
Was she expecting you?

MARTIN (smiles, giving away nothing)
I was just waiting.

BRIAN
For what? You've already talked to her. What else does she need to tell you? Why don't you just get on a plane and go back to Africa?

MARTIN
Could you step to one side? You're blocking my view.

BRIAN (insulted)
Why don't you go away, Schaefer? She's home; she doesn't want to go back with you. She's told you that. What else do you need to hear?

MARTIN
If you want something, you try hard for it.

BRIAN (picking right up on it)
And when you can't have it, you get clever and leave.

MARTIN
That's the word your friend John used--clever.

BRIAN (suspicious)
How do you know John?

MARTIN (smugly)
We're having lunch next week.

SULLIVAN (O.S.)
Brian?

Camera pulls back to show her coming from the building towards Brian. When she sees who he's talking to, she stops, then comes forward cautiously.

SULLIVAN (to Martin, confused)
Martin, what are you doing here?

MARTIN (sweetly)
Watching your house.

SULLIVAN (upset)
Why? You shouldn't do that! Why are you here?

BRIAN
Sull, let me talk to him.

MARTIN (shaking his head at B's nickname for her)
Sull?

She's shocked Brian wants to continue talking to Martin.

SULLIVAN
What are you

BRIAN
Please! Just let me talk to him.

She starts away, but hesitantly. Brian walks around to the passenger's door, opens it and gets in. Sullivan walks back towards the apartment building. After some steps she turns, sees the two men talking, but can't hear what they're saying. She tightens her mouth. Shaking her head, she continues walking towards the building.

CUT TO:
INT:BRIAN'S APARTMENT BUILDING.

Sullivan enters the foyer of their building and starts across a stone floor toward an ornate wrought iron spiral staircase that dominates the space. Her footsteps echo loudly. Her face is all consternation and storm. She doesn't know what to do, but also knows there's not much she can do for the moment. When she's halfway to the stairs, a conversation between two men begins. It's so loud and clear that she stops and looks around to see if the men are nearby. They aren't, but their voices get louder and louder. At first she's confused, but when she recognizes the voices and what they are talking about, she's stunned into standing stock-still, doing nothing else but listening.

BRIAN (O.S.)
Listen, first thing: I know how you feel; I know what it's like to love her! When she was gone and said she wasn't coming back, I went insane. So some part of me really does feel for you. But you've gotta understand something

MARTIN (O.S.)
No, YOU do! She was with you for years, Chute, but then she left. Why? Because you made her happy? No. She knew you, yet chose to leave and change her life completely. Why? Because you fulfilled her? I don't think so.

Sullivan is shocked. She turns around and runs back to the front door. Throwing it open, she looks out. Although Martin's car is not close, she can still make out the two men in it, their mouths and hands moving in animated conversation. What they say is what she hears.

BRIAN(o.s.,taunting)
But she came back!

MARTIN (o.s.,dismissively)
She came back because of her guilt, not because of you. Don't you know women are FOOLS for guilt they give into it every time, whether it's good for them or not!

SULLIVAN (enraged)
WHAT? Who does he think-

Sullivan slams the door shuts, leans her body against it. She covers her ears with her hands and squeezes her eyes tight shut.

CUT TO:
INT. MARTIN'S CAR. EVENING

Martin and Brian in the middle of their verbal war. Both are tense and ready to pounce as soon as the other has had their say. It's so hot in there we could expect them to break out into a fight any minute.

BRIAN
You think so? Listen to me Sullivan loves to have her face touched when she makes love. How many times did she tell you? But you never did it did you, Martin? Because it wasn't important to you. Oh no, you thought what you did was better and more exciting. What does that say about you? What does it say about how you'd treat her five or six years from now? A thing as small as touching her face!

MARTIN (shocked)
Did she tell you that?

Brian hesitates a moment. He's dying to say how he knows the intimate detail, but doesn't. He looks out the window to make the moment last, then turns back and goes in for the kill.

BRIAN
And you like to fall asleep afterwards, right? But she loves to talk. She likes it twice, you like it once. She told you that too, but you didn't care much

Martin can't believe what he's hearing. When he speaks, his voice is nasty.

MARTIN
Does that excite you? Knowing how your girlfriend fucked another man? Do you want me to tell you more details?

BRIAN
You don't have to. I know everything, Martin. You really don't want to hear all the things that I know.

CUT TO:
INT: FOYER OF BRIAN'S APARTMENT BUILDING.

CLOSE-UP of Sullivan hearing this. Her eyes are wide, her hands drop from her ears because she knows there's no way to keep these voices out. She looks desperately around, trying to find some way out of this craziness. But then from somewhere above comes the sound of a very large BOOM, then BOOM again, like a monster walking. Then a combination snort/ROAR. Sounds from a zoo, not an apartment building. She looks up. Another BOOM, then the sound of furniture and other heavy objects being shoved and thrown around. She's looking up at it, but then Brian's voice starts again.

BRIAN(o.s.,calm)
You go 'Please!'when you come. Your left hand tenses into a fist and you usually pound the bed with it.

MARTIN (fierce)
You don't know shit. Get out of my car! Go home and dream about what she did with me in bed.

BRIAN (super cool)
Happily. But don't forget, she's going to bed with me tonight and I ALWAYS touch her face.

Sullivan runs to the stairs and climbs as fast as she can. Follow her up. Another set of BOOM BOOM's heard from above, then more furniture being tossed. THUMP, SLLLIDE, BOOM... The noises continue, but nothing stops her flying up those stairs. Glass breaks in a tremendous CRASH. Then a very loud animal bellow slows her almost to a stop. Another bellow. Silence. Sullivan licks her lips and looks behind her-- should she go back down? No. She starts up again and finally reaches their landing.

CUT TO:
INT:HALLWAY LEADING TO BRIAN'S APARTMENT.

CLOSE-UP of the door to their apartment. Again the frightening sounds. The door suddenly bows outward. Another roar from inside. It's inside her place, and it must be huge because the door bends like cardboard.

CUT TO:
INT.HALLWAY TO BRIAN'S BUILDING.

CLOSE-UP on Sullivan's face-- all distrust and fear. Animal noises continue as she slowly approaches the apartment.

SULLIVAN
What ...

The door bursts open onto total chaos. Broken furniture, things upside down, curtains torn from the walls ... The place looks like it's been hit by a bomb. Standing in the living room, looking directly at her, is a full grown two ton rhinoceros. The two stare at each other for a long moment. Then comes the very loud hissing sound of water rushing out a hose. But it's not water, it's urine. Gallons of steaming yellow piss spurt on to the floor as the animal pees and stares at her. It's comic and horrible at the same time. Sullivan wheels around and runs back down the hall to the stairway. Out on the street, we hear a car squeal away.

CUT TO:
EXT.STREET.EVENING

Brian is crossing the street to their place. When he's almost there, Sullivan runs out of the building and over to her car. He moves towards her but she's into the car and has slammed the door, started the engine before he ever gets there.

BRIAN
Sullivan!

She stops a second, looks at him. Her face is completely freaked out. Brian runs towards her but it's too late; she peels off down the street, leaving him standing and totally confused.

CUT TO:
INT: HALLWAY OF BRIAN'S BUILDING.

Brian walks down the hall to their apartment. The door is closed. No noise from inside. He takes out his key, but before he inserts it, he leans a hand on the door to steady himself.

BRIAN
Everything is so fucked up!

He slips his key in and turns it. The door swings open onto a completely clean and orderly apartment.

CUT TO:
INT:BRIANIS APARTMENT

Brian walks over to the couch and sits down. He throws up his hands in frustration. Standing up, he goes to the front door to close it. Almost there, his feet squish wetly an something. He looks down at the floor and is astonished. Bending over, he daintily dips a finger into a huge dark wet circle of carpet. He brings the wet finger to his nose and rears back, appalled by the smell.

CUT TO:
INT: SULLIVAN'S CAR. NIGHT

Sullivan driving through the night. Her face is tear stained and the radio is on very loud to a rock channel.

SULLIVAN (almost lunatic)
I'm gone! I'm outta here! No more of this. I gotta get OUT!

DISSOLVE TO:
INT. PHONE BOOTH. NIGHT

Sullivan's standing in a phone booth way out in the middle of nowhere. Pitch black all around, empty lonely lands. She's talking on the phone.

SULLIVAN (shouting, accusing)
then why did I hear you two talking? Why did I hear that, Brian? You said those things, didn't you? Did you see the apartment? Did you see the animal?

CUT TO:
INT.BRIAN'S APARTMENT

Brian is sitting on their couch, eyes closed, gesturing with his hand, trying to calm her down.

BRIAN (pleading)
Honey, just come back. Please! Come back and talk to me about this!

CUT TO:
INT. PHONE BOOTH. NIGHT

Sullivan slams her hand into the wall of the booth. Lays her head against the glass.

SULLIVAN (demanding)
Did you see the rhino?

A truck blasts by outside so she doesn't hear what he says.

SULLIVAN
What? I didn't hear you.

Brian says something which makes her hit the booth again. She's mad as hell.

SULLIVAN
Then why did I, Brian? Am I nuts? Are you? No, I am going away and that's it. Period. I don't want to hear anymore arguments about it. I've made up my mind and that's that. Maybe THAT'LL make things right again. Maybe if we're apart

CUT TO:
INT:BRIAN'S APT.

Brian's walking nervously around the room with the phone in his hand.

BRIAN (still pleading)
But what if it doesn't work? What if the only way to fix it is for us to work it out together?

SULLIVAN (O.S.)
No! I don't want anymore of this. I love you, but if that love is going to ruin the whole world around us, then it's gotta end. Nothing is worth that, Brian. You know it and so do I. Nothing!

BRIAN (surprised)
Sull? Sullivan?

She hung up. He does too, gently. He paces around the room, not knowing what to do. Faster and faster until he reaches the spot where the rhino puddle was. He looks down. What he sees stops him.

He bends slowly over and touches a finger to where the spot was.

BRIAN (full of wonder)
It's dry! But it can't be dry.

CUT TO:
INT: CABIN. DAY

Inside a rustic cabin by a lake, Sullivan is lying on a cot, eyes wide open. We get the feeling from the look on her face that she has been lying like this, thinking, a very long time.

DISSOLVE TO:
EXT: LAKESIDE. DAY

Sullivan is walking by herself next to the lake. She's lost in thought until accidentally she comes upon two lovers sitting nearby having a picnic. They're immersed in each other and don't seem to see her at all. She watches them intensely for a few moments, then turns her head and walks away

CUT TO:
INT: JOHN MCKINLEY'S APARTMENT. DAY

A telephone is ringing inside John McKinley's house. He comes into the living room wearing shorts and a t-shirt. His eyes widen when he hears who's on the other end.

JOHN (scolding)
My God, Sullivan, where have you been? We haven't heard from you in days! We're all going nuts here! Brian is absolutely out of his mind. Where are you?

Listens.

JOHN
What do you mean, eleven hours away? Where? What are you doing?

CUT TO:
EXT. 7-11. DAY

Sullivan's standing in a telephone booth outside a 7-11 store. It is country all around and the narrow road out front is surrounded by forest. There are pickup trucks and tractors parked in front of the store.

SULLIVAN
I'm all right, but how are you, John? How is your friend? Is he okay? That's why I'm calling, I wanted to know about him.

CUT TO:
INT. JOHN'S LIVING ROOM

He's standing in the middle of the room talking.

JOHN
He's the same. What? No, I haven't gone today yet. But listen, guess who asked me to lunch on Tuesday? Martin Schaefer! He wants to go to 'Traffic in Space.' I didn't think he'd ask after his showdown with Brian. When are you coming back? Will you tell me that?

CUT TO:
EXT: PHONE BOOTH. DAY

Listening to the phone, Sullivan watches a tractor pound down the road. Closes her eyes.

SULLIVAN (starts to sound scared)
I don't know yet, John. All I want to know is if Tetsu's all right. No, I don't want to talk about Brian! Not now!

CUT TO:
EXT. LAKE. DAY

Sullivan is sitting by the side of a beautiful woodland lake, eating a sandwich. The surroundings are breathtaking and she's all alone. She's tearing off bits of bread and throwing them into the water for the fish. She squeezes what's left of the sandwich into a blob and heaves it into the water. She gets up slowly. On turning, she sees a large deer standing very near, watching her. She's taken aback, then delighted. She reaches out a hand to it. Astonishingly, the animal comes forward like a dog. She pets its nose, its head. It likes that. She moves in closer and it likes that too. She's emboldened to put her arms around its neck and hold it close. They nuzzle.

SULLIVAN (softly)
Everything's magic now.

DISSOLVE TO:
EXT: STREET. NIGHT

Sullivan pulls into the parking lot of the 7-11 with the phone booth in front. Gets out of her car and pauses a moment, savoring the peace and quiet of this remote place. She goes into the store.

CUT TO:
INT: STORE.NIGHT

She walks down the aisles, picking out staples for her stay at the cabin. CASHIER standing at the counter checks her out.

CASHIER
Kinda late at night to be shopping.

SULLIVAN
Just getting a few things. Tide me over till tomorrow.

Through the front window, we see a pickup truck come barreling into the parking lot outside, raising dust, Heavy Metal music blaring. TWO TEENAGE BOYS slouch out of it and enter the store. The cashier is obviously their friend.

FIRST BOY
This town SUCKS!

CASHIER
Tell me something new.

SECOND BOY
Eric said he could get his boat, so we went all the way out there

FIRST BOY
Eric and his boat are the only things we ever do in this fucked place! How we have fun out here on the dark side of the moon. Does anyone ever have a party?

SECOND BOY (hopefully)
The Pearl Jam concert's in two weeks

CASHIER
Yeah, so as usual we'll drive a hundred miles over and a hundred miles back and things are cool for a day. We get to see how real human beings live in a city. Then the clock strikes twelve and we gotta come back here and turn into pumpkins. Life at the end of the world.

FIRST BOY
Last Stop, California

SECOND BOY
Dead End, California

CASHIER
End of the Fucking Road, California

All three look at Sullivan to see how she's reacting to this. She's smiling. Suddenly the sound of an airplane, very low and close, stops everyone. The motor is spitting and spluttering and sounds like it's right overhead. Everyone in the place freezes and turns their faces towards the sky.

CASHIER
What the hell?

SECOND BOY
That thing is really close!

The engine coughs some more and then the sound of the plane coming down and crashing full impact very nearby. For a split second, everyone looks at each other.

CUT TO:
INT: STORE. NIGHT

CLOSE-UP of Sullivan's terrified face.

CUT TO:EXT: PARKING LOT. NIGHT

Everyone comes running out of the store to see a small airplane crashed and smoking out on the road. It's the same scene Sullivan saw in her vision at the mirror, only it's so soon after the crash that they're the only ones at the scene. Cashier runs back into the store to phone for help. The plane is badly crumpled but the PILOT manages to climb out and stagger away from the wreck. Fire begins moving up the fuselage, spreading fast across the whole body. Hissing and spitting, it lights up the night like a bonfire, casting shadows on the trees and across the faces of the people. After a moment's hesitation, they all run to help the pilot who's collapsed too close to the burning wreck. They stand him up again and help him to safety.

PILOT
No, stop, I'm hurt! Something inside's really hurt.

SULLIVAN
Just a little further. Then you can lie down. You're too close here. You gotta get a little further.

PILOT
No, I'm hurt. Can't you hear me, something's broke inside. I can feel it! My bone's rubbing on something.

Sirens sound in the background. The plane is now one big flame and crackle. Part of it bends in the heat and falls over. Sparks fly up everywhere and dance dangerously towards the trees. Light and shadow make the scene even more eerie and macabre. Police cars arrive and then a couple of fire trucks. All the men get out and go to work dousing the fire, diverting traffic, etc. Cars pull up and people jump out to watch. One bystander, thrilled, screams out

BYSTANDER
That's a mother fuck!

Pilot lies on the road holding his sides.

PILOT
Something just went snap. I heard it and then I went into this dive. It wasn't

Sullivan looks up from him. The scene around her is exactly like what she saw in her vision, down to the very last detail. She's overwhelmed and slowly sinks into a squat.

SULLIVAN I can't get away! Even here I can't get away from it! It's not going to stop. I've got to go back. Shoes, what did you do to us?

CUT TO:
EXT:BASEBALL DIAMOND. DAY

The KBUN softball team is playing against another team. Both sides take this game very seriously and the play is hard and fast. The stands are half full of people, not many of them watching the game but rather enjoying an afternoon in the sun. John is the pitcher, Brian the catcher. The first batter hits the first pitch to the shortstop who picks it up, then drops it, then is much too late with his throw. Hands on hips, John looks at the sky like God might have the answer for this lousy fielding. The next batter up hits a foul pop which Brian, throwing off his mask, catches easily and tosses back to John. He holds up two fingers to show they have two outs on the others. The next batter up takes a ball, then a strike, then another ball. John doesn't like the call and shakes his head. He winds up again, lets go the next pitch and the batter wallops it deep into left field. The left fielder goes way back and is able to catch it with no room to spare. Brian looks at John and smiles, mouths the word 'Lucky' and walks back to the bench. John takes a deep breath before leaving the mound. As he is walking back to the bench, he looks up into the stands and sees Martin Schaefer sitting there in the middle of a group of people. That stops John, but only for a second. Martin nods at him and John nods back before continuing for the bench.

CUT TO:
INT; SULLIVAN'S CAR. SUNRISE

Sullivan's driving home. Her hair is loose and she's wearing a jeans jacket against the night cold. The morning light is just beginning to show on the far horizon.

CUT TO:
EXT: DESERT. SUNRISE

Sullivan's car goes flying down the empty desert road. Watch it until it's almost gone.

CUT TO:
INT. SULLIVAN'S CAR. DAY

She's still at the wheel. It's bright day and she's near a city. Her hair is up in a ponytail and she's removed the jacket. In front of her a state trooper is waving all traffic to slow down. She drives until the car in front of her slows to a stop. Nervously, she drums on the steering wheel, then turns on the radio. Her fingers surf across the channels until they finally find The Police song 'Every Breath You Take.' The car in front starts to move again at a crawl. Song keeps playing. She starts to sing along when the verse says

POLICE Every move you make, I'll be watching you.

SULLIVAN
Every move you make, I'll be watching you.

CUT TO:
EXT: EDGE OF A PINE FOREST. DAY

CLOSE UP of hand opening a pack of matches and sliding a lit cigarette into it, smoking side out. When the butt burns down to the end, the fire will light the matches. Hand places this 'fuse' in a high pile of dry brush that borders the forest. The arsonist walks a distance away to two other piles and does the same thing. When he's done, he walks quickly to his car and drives off. We stay and watch the effects of his work in one place. The matches catch. The fire begins and spreads quickly.

CUT TO:
EXT: BURBANK AIRPORT. DAY

Brian and Ricky are running across tarmac to get into a helicopter. As soon as they're in, the machine takes off.

CUT TO:
INT: HELICOPTER. DAY

They check their equipment while PILOT fills them in.

PILOT
They thought they had it stopped, but the winds came up and the thing just took off. They're getting every fire company they can over there now.

RICKY
As soon as one gets going up in those canyons, woo, it's bad shit! Brian, are you okay? You hate covering fires, don't you?

BRIAN (ironically)
I'm all right. When I was a kid, we had a very big one in our house and I guess I never really got over it. I'm all right.

Ricky looks at him worriedly. He looks back and puts on a very false smile.

CUT TO:
INT: TRAFFIC IN SPACE RESTAURANT. DAY

Martin sits in the lobby of 'Traffic in Space' restaurant, a very trendy-looking place with lots of beautiful people. John enters. Martin looks at his watch and gives a little smile.

MARTIN
You're a little late.

JOHN (blithely)
Did you miss me?

They tell the maitre d' the name and he shows them to a table outside on a deck overlooking the mountains.

MAITRE D'
Gentlemen, I have to tell you there is a fire moving this way and if worse comes to worse, we will have to evacuate.

JOHN
Just so long as it happens after dessert.

Maitre D' smiles and leaves.

MARTIN
What's this place like?

JOHN
I thought you knew.

MARTIN
No, I just know it from a t-shirt Sullivan was wearing. Does she come often?

JOHN (shrugs, puts emphasis on last part)
Sometimes. With Brian.

MARTIN
Are you still the enemy camp?

JOHN
Absolutely! Did you enjoy the softball game Sunday? We're going to have lunch and you'll pay. Then I'll tell you how perfect a couple they are and what a rat you are for trying to break them up. That's my idea of a great meal!

MARTIN (amused)
Fine. I just wanted to make sure we're on the right footing.

CUT TO:
EXT: HELICOPTER. DAY

Copter flies towards smoke in the mountains.

CUT TO:
INT:HELICOPTER. DAY

Brian is hanging out a window, pointing his camera back into the cabin at Ricky who's looking at him, giving her report.

RICKY
The speed at which this fire has moved is phenomenal. We've gotten reports that say it's cleared off whole hillsides in the space of five minutes. From the looks of it up here, that's easy to believe. Back to you, Dave and Mary.

Brian puts the camera down and slides back into the cabin.

RICKY
I tell you, boys. This thing is moving faster than any fire I've seen. It looks like it's on speed or something.

BRIAN
Where's John McKinley today?

Ricky shrugs.

PILOT
You want me to check?

BRIAN
Yes, would you?

Pilot speaks quietly into his headset. Waits.

PILOT
He's off.

Brian nods.

BRIAN
Good.

CUT TO:EXT. GAS STATION. DAY

Sullivan is standing at a phone booth outside a gas station, trying to call someone. She waits as it rings and rings, then slams the phone down in frustration.

SULLIVAN
Brian's not home. John's not home! Where are they? Damn!

She walks out of the booth, goes over to a Coke machine and buys a bottle. Opening it, she tips it up and eyes closed, starts to drink. Suddenly she stops, having had a vision. Her mouth falls and dropping the bottle, she runs for her car. Starts it up and tears out of the station, dirt spewing in wide arcs behind her.

CUT TO:
EXT.TRAFFIC IN SPACE RESTAURANT. DAY

John and Martin sit in the crowded restaurant having lunch. John is enjoying every mouthful. Martin never picks up his fork.

MARTIN
Everywhere I go in this town I smell smoke. It smells like the end of the world!

JOHN
That's because everything is burning these days. Welcome to California, home of earthquakes, fires, mudslides, floods and riots.

MARTIN
Why do you continue to live here?

JOHN (gesturing widely with an arm)
Because it's also the most beautiful place in the world, if you can survive.

CUT TO:
INT:HELICOPTER. DAY

Brian, Ricky and the pilot are all watching the fire move swiftly up the canyon. The Pilot hears something on his headset.

PILOT
It's going right up Topanga Canyon. They want us over... Wait a minute! McKinley's up there. He's eating at Traffic in Space and just called in to hear what's up.

Smiles.

PILOT
He wanted to know if we could send a crew up so he could do a report from there!

BRIAN (very upset)
Report? The whole goddamned nill,s about to go up! Tell them to tell him to get out of there! Is he out of his mind? Pilot waves at Brian to be quiet.

PILOT
They know what's going on, but they can't do anything. The roads are blocked up to it. Look down there- the whole area's going up! There's nothin' you can do except sit there and hope it doesn't get you!

BRIAN
Then go there, Wes. Just fly us over there.

PILOT
I can't do that, Brian. I'll get fucked. I'mresponsible for the machine.

RICKY
Tell them we'll do a story from there, Wes. Come on, we gotta go.

Pilot looks at both of them a long moment.

CUT TO:
EXT:SKY.DAY

The helicopter veers away from its course and heads off in another direction.

CUT TO:
EXT:ONE LANE ROAD. DAY

Against a sky full of smoke and flames, a car drives straight towards the fire, as opposed to a long line of cars going in the opposite direction. A forest worker tries to wave the car to stop but it blasts by him and right towards the fire. Worker shakes his head at this lunacy, then starts jogging down the road towards safety. The car continues up the road past the carnage. There are ghostly things by the side of the road-- bundles abandoned, cars stocked with possessions, kid's toys. Animals are running around and once in a while we see someone darting in and out of a house, feverishly trying to pack their car with things before their house is in flames. The car passes all this and at one point, passes people packing their cars who stop to look at this strange sight. When it is gone they look at each other, shake their heads, and go back to packing.

CUT TO:
INT: TRAFFIC IN SPACE RESTAURANT. DAY

Unlike a moment before when everything out the windows was clear and beautiful, the view outside now is all smoke. The customers are either at the windows or hurrying to get out of there before it's too late. Martin and John are helping people wherever they can. They catch the other's eye and both shake their heads in dismay.

MARTIN
What happens now?

JOHN
Pray that the firemen get here. Or that the wind changes direction. What else can we do?

MARTIN
Do you think we could get out of here if we tried?

JOHN
You never know where a fire's going. You'd just be second guessing. At least they know we're here. If we went out into it, nobody would know.

Martin thinks about this a moment, then nods and they go back to what they were doing.

CUT TO:
EXT: HILLS. DAY

Firemen spraying water onto burning houses. People come running down the hill with armfuls of belongings, others are standing on their roofs spraying them down, dogs and cats run by, fire trucks drive fast up and down the streets, chaos everywhere. A man comes running out into the street, his face all fear. Puts his hands to his mouth and calls out

MAN
Sandy! Come here, Sandy! Come on, girl, we gotta go! Sandy!

He goes off running, calling

MAN
Sandy! Come on girl!

The fire frames him from behind as he goes off looking for his lost dog.

CUT TO:
EXT: STREET. DAY

At a roadblock halfway up a street, a Highway Patrolman flags cars down and makes them either stop or turn around. Sullivan drives up behind some other cars, sees the situation and gets out of hers. She looks at the hills-- all smoke and fire.

SULLIVAN
Jesus God!

A MAN standing nearby hears her and shakes his head.

MAN (frantic)
They won't let us back. All I want to do is see if my family got out. But they won't let us back. I was listening on the radio the whole way down and it sounded all right, but then I got here and they say the whole thing went up in a couple of-

He sees something off to the side and astonished, runs towards it. It is his wife and child. The three embrace with all the love and desperation of the world on fire. Sullivan watches this and starts to cry.

SULLIVAN
They're gonna die. They're all gonna die!

CUT TO:
EXT: SKY. DAY

The news helicopter comes swooping in over the restaurant, but it's plain from the smoke and flames so nearby that there's no way for them to land--anywhere. The copter starts to circle.

CUT TO:
INT:COPTER

The three are looking out the windshield at the maelstrom below. The engine's noise is balanced by the sound of flames and distant whine of sirens everywhere.

PILOT
There's nowhere to go down, Brian! There's nowhere down there. Don't even think about it.

Ricky puts her hand on Brian's arm.

RICKY
We can't do it, Brian. We can't get there!

Brian stands up and starts for the back.

BRIAN
Then winch me down, Wes. Just find a place where it's clear enough and winch me down!

PILOT (amazed)
Don't be nuts! It's crazy down there! What can you do?

Brian stops, turns, and grabs the pilot's shoulder.

BRIAN
I have no idea, and I'm scared shitless, but I have to go down. Find a place and let me down!

RICKY
We can't let you do it, Brian, it's crazy!

The pilot looks at him, then at Ricky. Ricky looks at Brian very concerned, then at the pilot. She nods.

RICKY
Do it.

Pilot shakes his head and turns the copter.

CUT TO:
EXT.STREET. DAY

Somehow Sullivan has gotten around the police and is running as fast as she can up the road. She has a handkerchief across her mouth to stop the smoke, but it's thick and blinding. After a while she staggers and falls to her knees. From there she looks up at the burning hills. There's absolutely no way she can go on and she knows it. Show the intensity and awfulness of the fire, the fact that if anything at all can escape from this chaos it will be an absolute miracle.

CUT TO:
INT: TRAFFIC IN SPACE RESTAURANT

John and Martin are on the roof with a bunch of other people, hosing or throwing water on it. MAN nearby says

MAN
It's hot! It's hot! How can it be so goddamn hot!

Everyone looks up when they hear the sound of a helicopter somewhere near.

MAN
Drop it here! Drop that fucking water here!

They continue to look up, but no water comes. Through the smoke they can just make out the machine way off to one side.

MAN
Someone's coming down! Look, they're winching someone down!

2ND MAN
One guy? Who the hell are they sending, Smokey the Bear? What can one guy do in this? Has everyone gone crazy? Where's the goddamned fire trucks? Where's the planes with water?

3RD MAN
The wind's changing! It's going off the other way!

Everyone's look changes to expectation. For a moment the wind does change, but in an instant it's back at them and the flames finally touch the building itself.

CUT TO:
EXT: FIELD. DAY

Amidst the smoke, Brian finally touches ground on the end of the winch rope and undoes himself as quickly as he can. Once free, he stumbles and falls, then stands again and starts to run for the restaurant. He runs against the smoke, people running past him in the other direction, screaming, crying. A child is walking slowly by itself, crying. Someone runs by, stops, grabs the kid and starts out again. Brian stops a moment to watch this, then moves again towards the now flaming restaurant.

CUT TO:
EXT:ROOF OF TRAFFIC IN SPACE. DAY

People are trying to get off the roof which is now very much on fire. John and Martin are standing on the edge, waiting their turn to climb down a ladder. John looks up, sees something, can't believe his eyes and howls his delight

JOHN
Oh my God! Oh my God! BRIAN! Here we're up here!

Look up here! Heyyyy!

Martin looks at John as if he's crazy, then looks off in the same direction and sees Brian running toward them below. He can't help smiling and shaking his head.

MARTIN
He's mad!

The moment after he says that there is a terrible crunching sound and the roof collapses inwardly. All of the people left on the roof go down instantly with it.

CUT TO:
EXT. FIELD. DAY

Brian is running towards the restaurant but stops when he hears his name called. He looks up to the roof, makes out John and Martin amongst the others and waves frantically

BRIAN

JOHN!

A moment later he watches as the roof collapses and everyone up there disappears. A look of horror and utter helplessness crosses his face as he runs once again towards the burning building.

CUT TO:
INT: RUINS OF RESTAURANT

Part of the building collapses in on itself and people are trapped screaming and crying everywhere. The sound of timbers and metal falling, scraping, crashing against each other. The sound of sirens is just barely heard behind all this other bruising, deafening roar.

CUT TO:
EXT.FIELD

Brian running as hard as he can towards the restaurant. As soon as he gets there, he starts pushing through the fiery debris and rubble, trying to get to his friend. People start climbing out, crawling out, limping out. All ghostly figures, hysterical and dishevelled. Smoke and the sound of flame, groaning timber and metal making everything eerie and frightening, a real scene from hell. Brian continues to dig and work his way feverishly through the mess. Somewhere way off in the distance the sound of sirens begins to grow but he pays no attention. He sees a woman walking stunned through the wreckage and taking her arm, points her towards safety. She doesn't even acknowledge his presence but goes the way he says. he starts to cough and cannot stop for a few moments. He wipes his eyes and plunges on, looking for the others.

JOHN (O.S.)
Brian!

Brian pays no attention to his name called, but a moment later John appears through the smoke holding a badly cut leg. He grabs hold of Brian's arm and turns him to face him.

JOHN
Brian! I'm here!

Shocked, Brian turns and sees his friend. The two men embrace until John's leg collapses and he falls. Brian bends over with him and tries to help him to his feet.

BRIAN
Are you all right? Is your leg all right?

JOHN
Schaefer's in there! He was with me. He's under there.

Brian looks from John to the ruins, torn by what he should do next.

BRIAN
Did you see him? Did you see what happened to him?Where he went down?

JOHN
No, we just went down and I didn't see anything. Nothing.

BRIAN
Can you get out of here alone?

JOHN
Yeah, but come on. Let's go. We gotta get out of here. There's nothing you can do.

Brian looks at him a long moment, then nods.

BRIAN (regretfully)
All right, let's go.

He props John up and helps him from danger. When they're a good distance away, he helps John lay down among other people. The sound of sirens is louder and suddenly behind them, the first fire truck appears. Brian looks up, sees it. He looks back towards the burning restaurant, straightens up, licks his lips. He's made a decision.

BRIAN
They're here. They'll take care of you now.

He gives his friend a long loving look, then starts off for the fire again.

JOHN (calling out desperately)
What are you doing?

BRIAN (obsessed)
I've got to go find him!

He runs off. John lies there and watches helplessly as his friend leaves.

CUT TO:
INT:RESTAURANT RUINS

Brian leaps back into the burning building and starts throwing things desperately aside, looking for Schaefer. He uncovers a woman but she is dead. He doesn't stop a moment there but keeps on working his way through the building. He pulls beams off another man who is able to slip out and stagger away. A moment after he escapes, a burning beam falls from out of nowhere and strikes Brian a glancing blow on the shoulder. He goes down and stays down. Part of his clothing catches on fire. He staggers up, burning, but falls again.

FADE OUT:
INT: HOSPITAL ROOM. DAY

From Brian's first woozy, then clear POV, he makes out above him the face of Martin Schaefer.

BRIAN (o.s.,softly)
So we ended up in hell together after all.

MARTIN
Not quite.

Sullivan appears over Martin's shoulder.

SULLIVAN
Thank God. Oh Thank God you're here again!

BRIAN (O.S.)
I guess. How come he's not dead?

MARTIN
I was incredibly lucky. The roof fell in and I just slid off to the side. Got right up and walked out of there. Unlike you. I had no idea where you were. John told me afterward what happened.

BRIAN (o.s. chuckles)
I went back in to get you and you were already out? That's, uh, great.

Martin looks at Brian a long time, then turns and looks equally long at Sullivan. His face says he knows he's lost.

MARTIN (humbly)
Thank you.

BRIAN (O.S.)
You're welcome.

MARTIN(quietly)
I never would have done that. I never would have gone back in. Not for you. I'm afraid not for anyone.

BRIAN (O.S.)
You don't know, maybe you would.

MARTIN (long sigh)
I don't think so. You bastard.

He looks at Sullivan again. Takes her hand and squeezes it. The two look at each other a moment. Martin closes his eyes and tightens his mouth. Then he turns and leaves.

SULLIVAN
Why did you do it? To break the spell?

BRIAN (o.s.,almost to himself)
No. Because sometimes the head has to make up for the heart's mistakes.

CUT TO:
INT. AIRPORT. NIGHT

Camera moves slowly down the hall of the airport very late at night. Few people are around-- just a few sleeping uncomfortably on chairs, some cleaning people doing their jobs as if in slow motion, a couple of security cops having a laugh. The camera pans slowly to a departure gate and the sign above it saying 'Johannesburg 3:00' There are only two people sitting in the departure area--a black woman and Martin Schaefer. The woman is sleeping, while Schaefer is sitting with his legs crossed, speaking into one of those miniature hand held tape recorders.

MARTIN
I looked at her one last time and realized I'll probably never love anyone as much again in my life.

The line is too strong and intimate for him. He turns off the machine and stares sadly at the ceiling. Looks at the cops having their laugh off in the corner, at the woman snoozing away a few seats away. His face is all sadness and longing. He sighs and brings the tape recorder back up close to his mouth. Clicking it on, he says distinctly and dramatically, so that we hear every syllable

MARTIN
I would have done anything to get her back.

FADE OUT

EXT:BEACH. DAY

Brian and Sullivan are walking together on the beach where he long ago saw the fisherman. People are everywhere having fun, it's a sunny day. One arm is in a sling and he's walking slowly with a limp. He holds Sullivan tight to his side. Now and then she rests her head on his shoulder. They continue down the way until Brian sees something and suddenly stops. Sullivan doesn't understand why and looks at him quizzically. Brian lifts his good arm slowly and points.

SULLIVAN (looking for whatever it is)
What?

BRIAN (excitedly)
It's the fisherman! The same one!

Amazed, Sullivan looks towards where he is pointing. There in the half distance is the old man who set this whole thing in motion. He is dressed the same way, casting in the same slow and meticulous as we saw before. Sullivan turns from him to Brian. Her face is all questions.

SULLIVAN
What should we do? Should we

He doesn't say anything for a long moment, considering what SHOULD they do?

BRIAN
What should we do? I'll show you.

With his good arm, he turns her around and starts walking in the other direction. Sullivan is not happy about this althwgh she goes with him. She keeps turning around to catch glimpses of the old man but finally she looks at Brian's profile, smiles, and turns away from what might have given her all the answers she needed. The couple continue walking away from us and we

FADE OUT.

THE END

.

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